


Magic Soakin' My Spine

by CaptainLuxCanis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Gen, Magizoology, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-05-26 13:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6241072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainLuxCanis/pseuds/CaptainLuxCanis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s set in the world of Harry Potter but it’s a bit AU. The whole fic focuses on an OC and her life, I guess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Harry Potter AU OC Fan Fiction
> 
> Author’s Note: The AU part is the addition of dæmons. Due to this addition I’ve had to use some creative licence. This was written some years ago, creative criticism is always welcome c:
> 
> Warning/Mentions: I do not own the Harry Potter universe, as much as I would love to. That privilege goes to the creator, JK Rowling.

Rain hammered on the windows of the ground floor flat relentlessly as a young girl sat in the living room watching television. She sank low into the old sofa to try and hold onto as much heat as she could but her actions were futile. She rubbed her pale hands together.  
“Friction means heat” she said with an air of higher knowledge in her voice as she often did when she was alone with her dæmon. He simply rolled his eyes; he was too used to her attempting to exert her want of intelligence to pay her any heed.   
The wind blew the mass of trees outside the window and she averted her light blue eyes from the television to the miniature wonderland that lay on the other side of it. A small grey squirrel ran down the largest tree and started digging for acorns. She shivered.  
“Aren’t you glad we stayed home?” Lelahel, in the form of a Red Squirrel, said merrily watching the progress of the grey squirrel as it attempted to find food. He would rather be the soul of a human and be any form his imagination could muster than an actual animal any day.   
“Yeah.” She said distractedly. She was watching the squirrel; it had discovered food and was now trying to get it from the ground it was buried in. She loved animals, even the small and insignificant ones. Her own Red Squirrel dæmon sighed. He decided the quickest way for them to heat up would be if he curled up in her lap, and so he did.   
The girls attention was soon bought back to the television when the squirrel outside had ran back up the tree and out of sight.  
“A wolf, Lel!” she cried “Oh wow, look. They’re so beautiful” she sat up without noticing she had done so and stared at the wolf on the screen in awe. Lelahel jumped from her lap and stood on his back legs also staring but in admiration rather than awe. He had decided a long time ago, it seemed, that when he was to settle he wanted to be a wolf. He hadn’t mentioned this to his human; they all seemed to think people with wolf dæmons were evil for some reason. He thought he’d try his luck and changed from a Red Squirrel to a Mexican Grey Wolf, very similar to one he’d seen in a book they had about canines. “Ooooh look at you!"She chimed.   
"I might make the move permanent” he said sitting in regal splendour.  
“That’d be cool. You look really handsome as a wolf”  
“Mexican Grey Wolf” he amended her.  
“Right, yeah.” She stroked down his back to feel the fur and felt movement down her own back. She decided against feeling his tail for fear of what it would feel like to her own skin. That was the down side of dæmons, she thought; everything he could feel, she could feel too.  
She turned back to the television and quickly got engrossed in the programme; it was about wild animals. Lelahel changed into each new animal in turn but they both decided he was best as a wolf, and also warmer.  
“Honey!” she heard her Mother call from her bedroom. She saw the dove form of her mother’s dæmon before she saw her mother. He perched on the back of a chair and not two seconds later his human walked in.  
“Hello”  
“Hi, sweets. Were you alright sat here on your own?”  
“Yeah! There’s an animal show on TV”  
“Wolves?” her mother asked, looking at Lelahel’s form. Lelahel turned to look at his human and she smiled at him.  
“Yep, for a bit”  
“I thought you didn’t want to be a vet anymore”  
“I don’t, but I still like watching them”  
The first thing April Moon ever wanted to be was a vet. Well, maybe a hairdresser but that was due to her Mother being one and when you’re young you’re easily influenced. But the first thing, off her own back, no influence, was a vet. She always loved animals more than people; they were dangerous but so fascinating, so unpredictable. April watched endless shows about wildlife, animal parks, and animal rescue; in the end she decided she wouldn’t be able to cope with having to operate on them, to see them in pain. It was too much to bear. So, April came to the conclusion she’d be something else and whatever it was would present itself to her when the time came. It so happened that the time came three years later.  
Her, then, eight year old self had been in formal education in British schools for four years. Her grades were average and her popularity was sparse but she was happy enough. She lived with her brother and mother, only getting to see her dad every two weeks. It was not that she was neglected in anyway by her mother but April did so look forward to visiting her father. The time spent with him was magical. But he did keep secrets from her, even if this very fact was not a secret she still longed to know. He told her she would know everything when she turned 11, just as her brother had. When she would complain to Freddy of this he would simply say that the information wasn’t as cool as she thought it was, like she had been expecting to be declared princess of her world or something. She wasn’t expecting that at all but she did know this information would help her be who she really was.   
At the start of Year Four of Juniors April had three years left until ‘big school’ as her Mum called it; her Mother didn’t like saying the real name of where she was going and refused to accept her children were anything other than 'normal’. The prospect of big school loomed since her brother was now in his second year at the place. She was excited and nervous but the thought didn’t enter her mind very often as three years was forever away. Soon time caught up and she was half way through Year Six and at every turn reminded big school was just around the corner, then life. The one constant friend April had had through her life was excited to be growing up.  
“I can’t believe we’re going to be in big school in September!” Crystal enthused, her fox dæmon, Lyka, lazing in the sun next to the bench they were sat at while Lelahel lay down next to him trying to judge just how much bigger than Lyka he was when in the form of a Mexican Grey Wolf. “But that does mean going from the top of the school to the bottom”  
“We’ll soon be at the top again. My brother said it flies by” She zoomed her hand in front of her to demonstrate just how quickly they’d be done with school. Lelahel, satisfied he was considerably taller than Lyka, started following the progress of a bee.  
“I don’t believe that” she frowned, picking at the cake in front of her. It was the first nice day of the year and the whole school was sun bathing during their short break from classes. “My Mom said that to me the other night but there’s no way seven years can go as quick as they say. We’ve been here almost four years and it’s gone really slowly” she dragged out the 'o’ and forced a heavy sigh. April squinted up at the sun thankful it wasn’t as hot as it surely would be later in the year but Spring weather meant one thing to her, and that was it would soon be her birthday; she would soon be eleven. This was significant because she would not only receive a letter from her future school but also a detailed education in her roots.  
Their other school friends joined them at the bench and joined the conversation of big school.  
“I wonder how we’ll do in our exams” Freya mused “I hope I do well otherwise I won’t get into the school I want.”  
“The school I’m going to will let me in no matter my mark.. I hope.” Max contributed. “You two go very quiet when we talk about big school. What kind of grades are you aiming for and where are you going again?” Crystal and April looked at each other, their dæmons stiffened a little. April started playing with her light brown almost-auburn hair as distraction. The truth was they were going to a school no one in their current one would have heard of. They would start in September, like other schools but unlike their class mates they wouldn’t come home after classes ended or even during weekends; only for Christmas, Easter and the long summer. The fact that Crystal and April were friends from birth was due to the school they would soon be attending, as both Crystal’s parents and one of April’s had gone there.   
“SATS marks don’t really matter to the school we’re going t-"Crystal replied with a huff.  
"And where are you going?” Max interjected  
“Scotland” April said simply  
“Why are you going to Scotland? Why both of you?”  
“Our names have been down since we were born. It’s..” she struggled to find the right words so as not to give too much away.  
“Family tradition” Crystal finished and Lyka relaxed once more.  
“Yeah, family tradition.” April verified with a nod. The other two did not look convinced but they asked no more questions about their mystery school and continued on about the exams and what questions they may get.  
Soon later the bell rang and classes lined up to be let back in; there were two classes to a year and four years in the school. As the entire student body were pre-puberty every dæmon changed form, it was a sight to behold as each student tried to come up with a more imaginative form than the last to be 'stuck with’ during class, just another challenge the pupils came up with to out-do one another.   
Lelahel liked to see what April was up to during classes so usually elected to be a smaller creature so as to sit on the desk next to her so he changed from Mexican Grey Wolf to Red Squirrel and ran up his human’s body, settling on her right shoulder. He had become so attached to being a Mexican Grey Wolf that he thought he might purposely lose the student-made challenge of sticking to one form during lesson and flit back to the canine form, much to April’s disapproval.   
April and Crystal weren’t in the same class but they’d soon be in each other’s company again when it was time for maths. Maths classes were according to ability not form, and as the classroom was always loud due to chattering students, it was the only time during lessons the two got to speak.   
“As you know, kids,” Mr. Saxon addressed the class “tomorrow is the last day of term and as I don’t have you all tomorrow I’d like to say have a wonderful Easter, don’t get too fat and don’t forget to revise; SATS are when you come back and the school urges you to do well” there was a grumble of thanks, moans, laughs and quiet cheers at being away for two weeks. Mr. Saxon sighed then continued on about how important SATS were, what might come up in the exam and to get into study pairs to help one another out. The class took this as cue to explode into noise and Mr. Saxon sat back at his desk, where his lemur dæmon sat, looking over mock SATS papers.  
“You’re eleven in three days, April!” Crystal turned to her as soon as their Maths teacher had given the cue.   
“I know!” April replied getting her exercise book and opened it at random. Lelahel jumped of her shoulder and nudged at the pages until they were on the right number.  
“I wonder what it is your Dad’s going to tell you”  
“Freddy says it’s not exciting”  
“He would! Whatever it is, you need to tell me.”  
“I will!” She sat there for a moment imagining what secrets would be revealed in three days. She knew it probably had something to do with her family’s farm, Hillcroft Farm. She had never been there before because her Mother wouldn’t let her but she’d be allowed when she was eleven. She imagined the place was full of dangerous plants or something; her Grandmother was a keen gardener, after all. April knew whatever it was her mother didn’t want her to know. She hadn’t wanted Freddy to know either but by the time he was eleven she realised he’d find out one day anyway and so she let their dad tell him everything; it was only fair April got told at eleven too.  
“Okay, okay class. Settle down. These exams are important; I don’t mind you talking but try and keep it to the work, yeah?” Mr Saxon almost shouted over the class. Momentarily there was silence but then a universal groan broke out across the room and they were back into chatter. Some had listened to Mr Saxon others were talking about video games, books, TV and theories of the haunted library. Mr Saxon sighed and sat back down. This close to the end of term, there was no point in trying too hard.  
“I think I’ll miss him, you know” April mused.  
“Really? Why? You know, Scotland or not, we’d still be leaving this school?”  
“Yeah, I know. I think I’d miss him either way. Not sure I’m prepared for strict professors, is all”  
“I’m sure they’re not as bad as Freddy says, he likes to tease you”  
“Yeah, I noticed” April sat absent-mindedly flipping the pages of her book; Lelahel tried to protest but soon gave up. April was thinking, again, about the wonders she would soon be privy to. “In summer are we going to the Alley together? The Westbrook’s and Moon’s out on adventures again!”  
“Yeah, I think so. Last time I went was with you. We got ice cream and-”  
“And I bought a Pygmy Puff!” April said a little too loudly. A few people looked around and giggled. Lelahel rolled his eyes at her outburst and resorted to putting the exercise book back to the page it should be on.  
“What is a Pygmy Puff?” Mr Saxon said from right behind them. They had been so in their conversation they hadn’t noticed he’d been walking around the classroom to motivate them all to do work.  
“It… it’s.. well…"April struggled, Lelahel sat stiff on the desk.  
"Sorry, Mr Saxon. We’ve been planning a book. A comic… thing. Sorry.” Crystal recovered first. He gave her a quizzical look then looked to April.  
“Sorry, Mr Saxon” she said staring at her desk.  
“Humm..” he said then moved on. The two girls sat in silence for a moment then burst into silent giggles. After a while April thought of her purple Pygmy Puff, Stanley, back at home. He was named after her paternal Grandfather who she had been very close to. He’d loved animals, just as she did and her father, too. She was with him when he’d died, the only one to see him go as the rest of the family had gone to nap since he was showing signs of improving; they’d barely slept in the three days since he’d gotten sick. April, however, couldn’t leave him alone. The last thing he’d said was “remember me” and he’d slipped away holding hands with his youngest Grandchild as his Golden Eagle dæmon burst into bright atoms beside them. The Saturday after he passed Crystal, her family, Artimis(April’s dad) and April had gone to 'the Alley’ to try and get back into, as normal as they could, some kind of reality. Artimis said he’d buy her something, anything. She already knew she would get some kind of animal. But when they past a brightly coloured shop, she saw what she wanted. A purple Pygmy Puff. After a lot of persuading April was allowed to keep him at home, in her mother’s house, but he wasn’t allowed out of her room and had to be covered when guests were about.   
Her brother had teased her for getting one but she didn’t care what Freddy thought. The little thing made her happy and she knew, come September, he’d be able to roam free around the common room of wherever she was placed.  
“You okay?” Crystal asked.  
“Yeah” she said, still a little in her thoughts. She gave herself a mental shake and a weak smile perched on her lips. “I will be” she looked up to Crystal’s face, a stronger smile on her lips now “eventually.” Crystal gave a knowing nod then they decided it best to do some actual work before Lelahel had a fit of rage and Lyka would be forced to restrain him.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally April’s 11th birthday!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not sure if all of this will make sense. I am adding to this while quite tired, so I may amend it later if it doesn’t. Do tell me if the words get all a bit everywhere.
> 
> Warning/Mentions: I do not own the Harry Potter universe, as much as I would love to. That privilege goes to the creator, JK Rowling.

The last few days leading up to April’s eleventh birthday were painfully slow, she padded them out with daydreams of what knowledge she may soon know, of her third year of ‘big school’ in which she would learn about all sorts of creatures and the day her house was chosen. She longed to be seated among the blue and bronze as her brother was and their father before that and his mother before that. She had taken to developing many photographs of herself in difference stances and painting over them in her soon-to-be uniform; she painted all four house colours onto herself and decided it would be a scandal if she was in anything other than bronze and blue; the home of the wise, witty, creative and individual. She knew in the end it didn’t matter; she was bought up without any prejudice, be it for the house you were placed in, the 'purity’ of your blood or the colour of your skin but the idea of this certain house seemed right to her.

The second Monday of April came just as any other day of the month did, except for the excitable, now eleven year old, girl sat bolt upright in her bed at four in the morning, it was just like any other day. But not to April Moon.

She was waiting for the post to arrive as it would be the most important letter she would likely ever receive; her acceptance letter.

Unlike the usual tell-tale signs of the post arriving she was listening out for wings or a soft hoot. April got out of bed and peered out of the window in the hopes of spotting any kind of flying creature. There was none.

She decided to occupy herself somehow to kill time so she got washed and dressed ready for her long day.

“I’m hungry” Lelahel complained when they were sat on the bed again.

“Food can wait” April replied, her heel tapping at the floor faster and faster in impatience. Lelahel sighed, he knew it was no good arguing with her when he could feel just how fast her heart was racing. “Be something with good ears” she ordered.

“Wolves have good enough ears”

“Better ears!”

“Calm down, April, it’ll come soon enough”

“Crystal already has hers!”

“Because her birthday is in November” he calmly replied. After that they sat in silence, Lelahel focusing his wolf ears on any sound from outside he could. Morning chorus came and went before April spoke again.

“Why did Dad have to request that I got my letter on the day of my eleventh rather than a few months before like everyone else?” she sighed.

“Because that’s the only time your Mother will accept you’re not Muggle. She wouldn’t allow an owl near the place for anything other than this.”

“Hummm. Yeah.” And with that they were back to silence.

But not for long.

“Oh my” Lelahel said, standing up. April lifted her head from her hands and looked at him. “It's…” he paused “It’s wings.”

“Pigeon wings?”

“No” he slowly turned to his human, their hearts beating as one, faster than they could ever remember.

April got up and ran to the window once more, Lelahel turned to a Red Squirrel and jumped onto her right shoulder so as to have a better view.

And there it was, a tawny owl, gliding toward the window. It landed on the grass in front of April and stared at her.

“Come on!” April shouted “Give me the damn letter”

“Shhh, you’ll wake your Mum”

“Don’t care” the owl started at her still “Oh, for God’s sake” she opened the window wide and stuck out her arm. The owl took off and landed there. It was surprisingly light, April thought. Lelahel changed to a Peregrine Falcon and stared the owl down. April took the letter from its beak and stroked its head in thanks. The owl promptly flew off her arm, Lelahel following it high into the sky where he hovered until the owl was out of sight. He came back down to find April standing how he’d left her, staring at the unopened letter. He nipped at her fingers.

“What?!” startled she looked to the now Red Squirrel dæmon. He stared at her. “Oh” she shut the window, not taking her eyes off the letter and sat back on her bed. “So this is it?”

“This is it” Lelahel reassured her. April gaped at the green writing on the front of the letter. Written there was her full name, as well as her dæmons, and their address; it made her heart flutter. “Ready?”

“Ready.” April turned it over to see a red wax seal there bearing an 'H’ upon it. She carefully pealed it from the letter and unfolded the paper with slightly shaking hands.

She read the letter through once very carefully, with Lelahel reading from her shoulder, then skimmed through several times making sure she understood it all.

“Ohhh this is exciting!” Lelahel said after re-reading it for the fourth time. He jumped from April’s shoulder and became a Mexican Grey Wolf, lying on the bed. April soon joined him by falling onto her back, clutching the letter to her chest.

“So it came?”

“Huh?” April sat up to find her brother stood in the doorway with a cup of tea and honey on toast for her breakfast.

“Your letter” Freddy said, gesturing to her chest.

“Yeah!” she laid the letter over Lelahel’s paws for safe keeping then took the plate of toast from her brother. Finally realising how hungry she was, the food was gone in minutes and she started on the tea.

“Happy birthday, sis” his woodpecker dæmon bowed at Lelahel.

“Thanks she beamed”

“How does it feel?”

“Ermm” she had a gulp of tea while she contemplated the question. “It feels the same, really” she confessed.

“Yeah, it always does. You’ll be twenty before you know it and you won’t feel any different than you do now”

“Oh God, I don’t want to think about being twenty” they both laughed

“You’re as old as you feel, Ape. Just look at Grandma Lizzy!”

“Yeah! I wanna be as energetic as her while I’m her age” they sat in thought for a while then April stole a look at the letter again; she couldn’t help herself.

“When are you going for the school shop?”

“Not sure. Me and Dad and Crystal and Crystal’s dad are all going tomorrow to the Alley but I don’t think it’s for school shopping. I guess it’ll be in August some time. Will you be coming with us?”

“Probably”

“Ewwww” she joked

“Shut up, squirt!”

“Now, you two! Stop fighting” April and Freddy were about to inform their mother, for what felt like the hundredth time, that they were not, in fact, fighting but just teasing and joking with one another but were immediately interrupted by their Mom bursting into song.

“Happy birthday to you-”

“Oh God” April & Freddy said in unison, turning to one another.

“Happy birthday to you-”

“Please, no” Freddy moaned.

“Happy birthday, dear April”

“Why?!” April exclaimed as she and her brother covered their ears.

“Happy birthday toooo” she had a massive intake of breath that was let out over the course of twenty seconds and was terribly out of tune “yooooooou” Lelahel had just started howling at the terrible singing when their mother stopped.

“Thank God!” Freddy said as April breathed a sigh of relief, both removing hands from ears.

“HIP HIP!”

“NO!” the siblings cried. Laura kissed her daughter on the head then walked out of the room, laughing to herself.

“We need to get a muzzle” Freddy decided, looking at the spot where their mother had disappeared.

“I think she gets worse as she gets older, you know.”

“Agreed” they laughed again “C'mon, squirt, presents for you in the living room”

Her hoard hadn’t been too bad that year; books, art materials, chocolate, money. When she’d opened a pouch given to her by her Grandma Lizzy and several gold coins fell out her mother pretended not to see them. To this April and Freddy rolled their eyes.

“Guess what, Mum” April said a little sarcastically.

“What is it, darling?”

“I’m a witch!” she said very loudly. Her mother took a sharp intake of breath all traces of humour gone from her face and Freddy acted in feign shock.

“My God, April! We’ll have to burn you on the stake” he joked.

The mood went down from this point and soon the siblings were in their respective rooms. April lay on her stomach, Lelahel next to her, re-reading the letter again. Despite her new items, the letter was all she cared about just then. She slipped into daydreams again while waiting for her father to arrive.

During one particular daydream (in which she was stood in high stands, cheeks painted blue, cheering for her team) she was interrupted by the intercom buzzing.

“- Squirt’s call to answer, it’s her birthday!” she heard Freddy complaining at Laura. April didn’t need prompting and ran to the receiver.

“Hello?” she spoke into it.

“April! Guess who” a male voice replied.

“It’s dad!” Lelahel whispered from her shoulder excitedly. April pressed the button to let him in and waited for him to reach the front door before opening it. She peered through the peep hole and waited for him to appear before the door.

“Is it your dad?” her mother said from behind her.

“Yep” April said, still looking through the door. She saw his shadow approach the door and she unlocked it, opening the door quicker than she had before.

“Dad!” she cried throwing her arms around his neck.

“Hello, bab” he said. He was a tall man, over six foot, had blue eyes and short brown hair.

“Hi Artimis” her mother said

“Hey, Laura! How are you?”

“Good yeah-”

“Dad! My letter came!”

“Oh wow! And happy birthday”

“Thanks!” she gave him a big squeeze before letting him go.

“Now, I have presents to give you back at mine but do you want to go to the farm before or after?”

“So it is to do with the farm?!” she exclaimed. He only smiled, his panther dæmon sat, placid, next to him in the hallway. “Errm” she looked to Lelahel on her shoulder “what do you think, Lel?”

“I think after. Then it’s like the big present.”

“Yeah” she contemplated this “Yeah, after” she confirmed looking to her father.

“Okay” he smiled at her “ready to go?”

“You bet I am!” Artimis laughed at her enthusiasm.

“I’ll bring her back by seven, Laura”

“Okay. Have fun, sweetie”

“I will!”

“Bye” Laura hugged her overly excited daughter goodbye, kissed her head and watched her leave with her father.

“B'bye” April called and turned around to wave.

Artimis lead her to an awaiting car which took them to his house. She watched the scenery change from suburban to country lanes and half an hour passed without talking (because talking during travel agitated her travel sickness) before they pulled up to her father’s house. A huge country cottage, it was, classic in every sense of the word; it was quite grand to say the least.

Artimis and April walked through the threshold and into the kitchen to find Grandma Lizzy sat at the kitchen table poring over a crossword puzzle, her Eagle Owl dæmon staring intently at the paper. She immediately stood up to greet them.

“April! Happy birthday!” she engulfed her youngest grandchild in a hug. Lizzy was a few inches taller than April and her grey hair was styled into short curls.

“Thank you, Nan” they broke apart and April sat at the table across from where her grandmother would reseat herself once she’d greeted her son. April looked around the large kitchen, it was her favourite room in the house; massive compared to the kitchen at her mom’s and full of portraits of past relatives (most of which she had no clue as to who they were), all sorts of creatures and one of a castle she would soon call home.

When her father and grandmother were sat at the table with her they bought with them a small pile of presents from her paternal family and friends. She opened the first two presents and Lelahel decided to nap under the table to regain some of the lost energy from the very early morning. It was all the same kind of things she’d received from her maternal family except one gift.

“This is from Sam” Artimis said passing April the last of her gifts, a small neatly wrapped box.

“Ooh, he doesn’t need to get me anything!”

“He said he knew you’d say that. He also said that this present is also a way of helping him.”

“Right” she looked at the box suspiciously.

“He’s taken Muggle technology and is trying to make it work via magic rather than electricity. That way it will work in places like Hogwarts”

“Okay. So, what is it?”

“Open it” he smiled

“'Kay” she ripped at the paper to find a plain white cardboard box. “Right” she said again “No clues on the packaging, eh?”

“Guess not” he chuckled. She opened the box to find shredded paper surrounding a small blue rectangular device with a wire hanging from one side.

“An MP3 player?” she asked a little in shock.

“Yep. Sam’s been experimenting with all sorts of Muggle electronics; he figured you might like to road test this one. You know, because of how much you love them Muggle bands and that. If it works, send us an owl saying so. If not, send it back with an owl saying what’s wrong. He’ll try to fix it and send it back to you to test again. See? Quid pro quo.”

“Say what?”

“You get an MP3 player while he gets it tested in a hardcore safe place to make sure it works anywhere”

“Even underwater?”

“Maybe not that far. But if you think it calls for testing underwater, go for it and just tell Sam the result”

“Okay!” she liked the sound of this 'quid pro quo’ “how do I get the music on?”

“Don’t worry, he’s already put it on for you. He’ll show you how to add more music once this one has been thoroughly tested, okay?”

“Okay” she stood up and, after wrapping the headphone around the device, put it in her pocket. She took this opportunity to stretch her body, she hadn’t done it yet that day and the feeling was wonderful. Artimis stood too and walked over to the fireplace, coxing the fire to life.

“Ready to go?” he said, turning to face her. She looked at the huge fire fireplace in front of her and took the powder her dad offered. It was by far her least favourite way to travel. Lelahel grudgingly got up, changed to a Red Squirrel and jumped up onto April’s right shoulder.

“I think so” she paused “maybe” she gathered her thoughts then nodded at him. He went first, stepping into the fireplace and throwing the powder to the ground while saying.

“Hillcroft Farm” he disappeared in a flash of green fire. April looked to her Grandmother who was sat at the dining table, happy to see her Granddaughter finally know the truth.

“Go on, you’ve waited long enough and Art will be getting worried” she got up and walked over to her and gave an encouraging hug. April had waited all her life to go to Hillcroft Farm and the moment was finally upon her. She was nervous. She stepped into the fireplace, threw down the powder her father had given her and repeated the words she’d been rehearsing for years.

She was engulfed in green flames then she was spinning, seeing flash of kitchen after kitchen and even a black brick hall. She stumbled out of the fire and found herself in the arms of her father, feeling terribly sick.

“I’m so glad I won’t be travelling like this to school” April said breathing deeply and steadying herself. Her father laughed.

“No, the train is smoother but much slower”

“I have no problem with scenery” she beamed at him.

“Good to hear, Ape. You’ll be seeing so much of it in the next seven years and, who knows, beyond” April couldn’t wait.

She finally stepped back from her father and looked around the kitchen of the farm house. She decided it was beautiful. It looked like every farmhouse she’d ever seen, old-y world-y with an arga and all. But the only detail she cared for was the window and what lay behind it. She walked trance-like toward it and stared open-mouthed at the mass of fields and its occupants.

“W-What are they?”

“Do you want to see them closer?”

“Yeah!”

“There’s more than just them. But they are the majority. C'mon, bab’” he led her to the door and out into the open air.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and Crystal finish Muggle school and go for the school shop in Diagon Alley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is very much longer than the other parts. I do hope it’s worth it.

“And he breeds them?!” Crystal exclaimed once April had retold her everything she had been told. About how her family had been breeding creatures for as many generations as anyone cared to remember. That her Grandpa Stanley had trained under Newton Scamander himself and her very own father trained under him for a short time before he’d died, then being trained by Stanley until he could learn no more from him. They bred all sorts of creatures at Hillcroft, some for pets, some for potions ingredients (April wasn’t so pleased about this one) and some to learn more about that particular creature.

“Yeah! And these too!” They were sat outside Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, pouring over ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ while waiting for their fathers to return with their cold treats. Lelahel and Lyka, an African Pygmy Dormouse and Chinchilla, respectively, were running around the table chasing each other. The book was a new purchase (bought with April’s birthday money and mostly because it was written by Newt Scamander) and she quickly flicked through the book until she found another creature bred on the farm and stopped to read out the entry. “That was the secret! I come from generations of breeders. I always loved animals!” April beamed.

“Yeah but dogs and dragons and different things”

“We don’t breed dragons! Though, my cousin does, in New Zealand!” Lelahel promptly changed into a small Antipodean Opaleye dragon, scaring Lyka into stopping in his tracks and being caught by Lelahel who then flew several feet into the air before dropping him. Lyka changed to a Common Welsh Green dragon and the two play fought midair.

“You’re suddenly the coolest person I know”

“Wasn’t I always?” they laughed together for a while until their fathers sat with them. By this time the two dæmons had worn themselves out and were both in their most common forms lying under the table their humans were sat at. The Mexican Grey Wolf and the European Red Fox only had the energy to flick their tails at each other.

“Careful, Ape, you’ll wear that book out. You need to keep it safe until your third year. That’s if you want to take Care of Magical Creatures, that i-”

“- Course I do!”

“You won’t be forced. They’ll be no disappointment. I want you to be happy, not to do what you think will make others happy”

“All I want is to care for creatures. I’ll know the book by heart before my third year” April said proudly.

“In that case you won’t need to take the class and you can fill the space with something more academic, like History of Magic.”

“Dad!” Crystal protested “I’ll disown her as best friend if she takes History of Magic”

“And I will as daughter”

“Artimis! I thought you said it wouldn’t matter”

“I did, yes. But without encouragement she wanted to work with animals so I have faith in her and if the same professor is teaching it as we had she’d never take it!”

“Oh God, I remember!” the two old school friends discussed what it used to be like at school while their daughters revelled in the stories.

April lovingly closed her first ever textbook and stowed it in her bag before starting on her ice cream. The conversation was always that of school; of the four houses, the hidden passages, the ghosts. The two girls were thrilled by the thought of it and the older men loved to reminisce. Soon the two family units went their separate ways with promises of next meeting there for the big school shop and a chorus of “see you at school” and “see you later”. For the latter it was code for “see you in the pub”.

When term re-started April and Crystal were thrust into exams in a way they weren’t expecting but they knew exams weren’t important so they weren’t particularly bothered. Other students were amazed at how relaxed they were, some even seemed suspicious. While the other year six’s spent their breaks revising, April and Crystal spent theirs talking to the younger kids and challenging them to see whose dæmon could get the furthest from their human. April and Crystal won every time. Not because they were made of stronger stuff but, unlike Muggle’s dæmons, witches’ and wizards’ could go as far as they liked from their humans.

“Come back!” a year four shouted at his rat dæmon. She turned and swiftly ran into his outstretched arms. Crystal laughed as Lyka took another easy step away from her.

“We should get something for this, Chocolate or money or something” Crystal said to April.

“Ha” she said humourlessly “I don’t think that’s very fair”

“It isn’t” the two girls turned to see Mrs. Laurence staring at them sternly. “Can you two follow me?” they looked at each other in shock. Mrs. Laurence was April’s teacher, other than for maths, if she wanted to speak to the both of them it could be for no good reason. Mrs. Laurence happened to be a witch who was positioned at the school to make sure the girls’ magic didn’t get out of hand. She was first asked to work there when Laura had insisted Freddy go to Muggle school and was kept there when it was April’s turn. Crystal’s parents liked the idea of their children being bought up aware of the details of the Muggle world and so signed her and her two sisters up to attend. Many wizards families had decided to do this after the war; they wanted to encourage universal acceptance. The two girls followed Mrs. Laurence, mirrored by their dæmons who were walking solemnly behind them, heads bowed. They walked the whole way to the classroom in silence and stood awkwardly in front of her desk when she sat at it; her dachshund dæmon staring sternly at Lelahel and Lyka whose heads were bowed to the floor.

“Girls, do you know why I asked to see you?” Mrs. Laurence asked calmly. April and Crystal stood in silence “you have to stop showing off with the distance your dæmons can go from you, okay?” still the girls said nothing “Because not only does it endanger our world’s exposure but also, and more importantly, if the younger kids get too cocky and make their dæmons go further than they know they should go they could very well die.” April had never thought of this before and the sudden realisation of this made her feel awful. “You have to be responsible with what you have, not show off at the risk of others” still they stood in silence “girls?”

“Yes, Mrs. Laurence” they chimed. April felt like crying, she’d endangered all of those kids. She looked at Lelahel and couldn’t imagine having him pulled from her like how Muggle’s dæmons were several yards from their human. She sniffed back the tears.

“Just don’t do it again. Back to the playground with you” they walked back outside in continued silence and didn’t speak again until the bell rang signifying the end of school.

May turned to June and the exams came and went and very soon it was the last summer holiday before they were starting at Hogwarts. Before they could go, however, they needed to acquire their school books and equipment and very importantly their wands.

“But Dad!”

“No buts, Freddy. You’re sticking with us until you have everything you need. Then you can go find your school friends and go into Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes but not a moment before.”

“Fine” Freddy said, stubbornly.

“Where first?” April said enthusiastically

“We’re meeting the Westbrook’s at Potage’s Cauldron Shop”

“'Kay!” April skipped out of the Leaky Cauldron and out into the back where she waited for Artimis to open the passage into Diagon Alley. He tapped the wall with his wand and it opened up to reveal a bustling narrow alley full of all sorts of shops. April looked around and saw the cauldron shop to her left and walked toward it slightly ahead of the other two. Freddy even further behind, he was sulking.

“April!” she looked to see Crystal waving from quite a way down the alley with her parents and sisters. Lyka bounded far in front and pounced on Lelahel. Lelahel may have been several inches taller than Lyka in their current forms but with the element of surprise Lyka had the upper hand.

“Ow!” April cried “call off the fox” she shouted to Crystal. Lyka stood back from Lelahel, triumphant, laughing at the wolf splayed on the floor. Lelahel quickly got up and ran toward April, not wanting to encourage Lyka further.

“Beat you” Crystal said, simply.

“Whatever” she said sadly. “Hello Mr. Westbrook, Mrs. Westbrook”

“Hello April” they said in unison.

“Hey!” Artimis said to them, hugging them both in turn. Once the Moon’s and Westbrook’s had all greeted each other they turned to the cauldron shop and went inside. The logic being if they had a cauldron they could use it as a basket for some of the other items they’d be getting. They left the shop with two new pewter standard size two cauldrons for April and Crystal and next headed for Flourish & Blotts for their books. This time Freddy had a few purchases of his own to make; being in his fifth year at Hogwarts he had many new books to study for his O.W.L. examinations at the end of the school year. Within a few uneventful hours (browsing time included) the two families’ had very almost everything the three children going to Hogwarts would need for the new school year and Freddy, April and Crystal were allowed to go their separate ways, meeting back at Ollivander’s to receive their wands in an hour’s time. Artimis had said the stress of shopping would make the wand selecting process harder and that it best they have some free reign of their time to relax a little before this most important of purchases. Freddy had moaned that since he already had a wand he shouldn’t have to meet them in an hour but Artimis had said he should stick close to his sister and Crystal during the free hour and help them find their way back when the time was up. He grudgingly agreed and set off toward Quality Quidditch Supplies where a crowd of people were around the window trying to press their noses against it to get a better look at the newest brooms and accessories.

“Hey! Wait up!” April called to her brother. “We have to stick together, Dad said!” April and Crystal jogged after Freddy trying to catch him up, when they reached the shop he was lost in the crowd and so the two girls decided to hang back a little and wait for him to emerge.

“I didn’t want to see the stupid Quidditch stuff anyway” Crystal sulked crossing her arms. April stood on tip toes, leaning on Crystal (who was a few inches taller than she was) for balance to see Freddy but all she could see was the back of the head of a brown haired boy who appeared to be their own age; judging by the new plain robes he had he’d not yet been sorted into a house. The thinning crowd moved slightly and the boy in front reached the window, pushing his face against it.

“Your brother’s in there” Crystal said dully, pointing to Freddy looking at the brooms from inside the shop.

“Yeah.. we’d better not go in.. big crowd” they both knew it was because it hurt that they couldn’t have their own brooms at school until next year but neither of them wanted to say it so they resorted to standing either side of the boy, April to his left Crystal his right, and staring through the window until Freddy had decided he’d seen enough.

Lelahel sat behind April facing away from the window looking at the passing crowds and Lyka stood to his far left staring at the brown haired boy’s dæmon lying between the two of them. Lelahel didn’t know why he was staring until he noticed the form she was. The boy’s dæmon seemed to be a cross between the two of them. Half wolf, half fox. Lelahel and Lyka were both staring now, the unknown dæmon unaware of the attention. She looked up at Lyka then to Lelahel and she smiled, sitting up.

“I’m Seda” she said simply. “Sat between the two of you I look like I’m trying too hard” neither of them reacted for a while.

“What are you meant to be?” Lyka asked eventually, as if it were a fancy dress party. “Or is it a made up creature. Does he have a big imagination?” he said gesturing to Seda’s human.

“No” Lelahel said before she could answer “I’ve seen these before, I just can’t think of the name. They definitely are real though” he concluded. Seda looked impressed.

“Geek” Lyka responded. Lelahel grinned at him and stuck out his tongue. Lyka looked at Crystal to see if it was okay to pounce on Lelahel but she wasn’t there. They looked to April but instead saw a pale thin girl with an Arctic Fox dæmon looking in at the window where April had just been. “Oh no, where are they?” he panicked. Lelahel changed into a Peregrine Falcon and flew up spotting them instantly.

“This way” he said; considerably more calm than Lyka was now he could see their humans. Lelahel led the way until Lyka was walking beside Crystal at which point he landed on April’s shoulder.

“Hello” April smiled at him “Where’ve you been?”

“Socialising” he said simply.

“Congratulations. Meet anyone nice?”

“Not sure” he said thinking of the strange form Seda had and how even more strange it was that he and Lyka had sat either side of her in the two forms she seemed to be a morph of. “I’m sure we’ll find out one day”

“Maybe” April said more and more distracted the nearer they got to the brightest shop in the alley.

“I can’t believe you went into this shop and came out with a damn Pygmy Puff, April” Freddy said

“Shut up, he’s cute” Freddy stopped and faced the alley rather than the shop “What’re you doing?”

“Waiting for Dean”

“Ohh. Cool. Have I met him before?”

“Nope”

“So we can go in without you, yeah?”

“Whatever squirt. Meet outside here in half hour” he ignored her protests at her nickname and walked toward a tall blonde boy who was waving at him. The half an hour pasted swiftly and soon they arrived outside the wand shop, both girls nervous.

“Okay, we’ll flip a coin as to who will go in first. It’s too small for both our families to go in together so you’ll have to take turns.” Artimis said to the two friends. Freddy sighed impatiently. “Heads or tails?”

“Tails!"April said instantly

"Good, I wanted heads anyway” Artimis reached into his pocket for the first coin he could find and pulled out a silver one. He flipped it, caught it then covered it with his hand pausing dramatically before revealing the answer.

“Heads” he said. Crystal allowed herself a triumphant fist pump.

“Yes!” she cried. The Westbrook’s went into Ollivander’s and the Moon’s stood outside waiting for them to come out with Crystal’s first wand. Not ten minutes pasted before she rushed out holding the wooden stick. “Phoenix feather!” she proclaimed. “Acacia wood and thirteen and a half inches long” she said waving her new wand about.

“Crystal!” Mrs. Westbrook said “Be careful. You’re not allowed to use it until you’re under professor supervision at Hogwarts”

“Sorry, Mum” she said a hidden smirk still on her lips. “Your turn, Ape!” April took a deep breath and walked into the small shop followed by Artimis and Freddy, Lelahel still on her right shoulder but as a Red Squirrel now.

The wand shop smelled incredible, April thought. Better than book shops and that was by far one of her favourite smells, after forests. It occurred to her that perhaps it was the wood she liked the smell of.

“Hello” said a frail man at the counter his iguana dæmon upon it “Artimis! I’ve not seen you in my shop for four years. What do I owe this pleasure? Another child or have you broken another wand?” he leaned toward April “He used to break his wand all the time when he was at school; he came back at least once a year for a new one. He made his dad furious” he chuckled and April smiled at him, suddenly shy. She’d heard about the great things this man had done; how he’d hindered and ultimately helped the war. “How is Stanley, Artimis?” tension suddenly filled the room at the mention of April’s grandfather.

“No longer with us” Artimis said bluntly.

“Oh. Well, that is a shame. He was a great man”

“Yes” Artimis said not knowing how else to respond. The death of his father was still quite raw. “Shall we crack on?”

“Yes, of course”

“So much for being relaxed” Lelahel whispered to April.

“Hush, Lel” She stepped even closer to the counter and waited to be told what to do.

“Dæmon on the counter, please.” Lelahel jumped down and sat on the small wooden dish Ollivander indicated to. His own dæmon walked up to Lelahel and scrutinized him before climbing up onto Ollivander’s shoulder and telling him a few things neither Lelahel or April could hear. He headed into a back room and emerged a few minutes later with three long boxes. He opened each in turn and lay them in front of Lelahel. “Which one?” He simply said looking at the Red Squirrel. Lelahel looked at April for an answer. “No, it must be you. You provide the life force within her. You are more connected to the purest magic of our world than she is. It must be you.”

“How will I know?” Lelahel said quietly.

“It will call to you. The experience is different for each dæmon. Some see sparks, some auras, some a certain smell. Whatever it is, you will know what it is when you see it.” Lelahel stared intensely at the wooden sticks for a few seconds before he saw a slight mist cover the three of them. He rubbed his black eyes but there was no improvement so continued to stare. The fog cleared around the wand on the right and a slight humming emanated from it. He got closer to it and knew that this was the one.

“This one” he said, paws on the box.

“Are you quite sure?” the iguana dæmon spoke

“Yes”

“Well then,” Ollivander said removing the other two wands from the table “take it for a spin, Miss Moon”

“Ermm.. okay” she picked up the remaining wand and looked it up and down. It was a light coloured wood with a slight marbled look to it; it was smooth but not shiny and had a nub by the handle which she could comfortably place her thumb on for extra grip and comfort. It seemed perfect to her. She waved it in the general direction of her brother, who momentarily turned a blue hue.

“Excellent” Ollivander said “Blue? Are you hoping for Ravenclaw, then?”

“Errm.. yeah. Yes I am” a little taken aback.

“Good! Good, yes. I was one myself. You’d be an excellent addition, I’m sure”

“But I don’t mind being in Hufflepuff, either!” she said quickly just in case she didn’t get sorted into the house she so wanted to. “Grandpa Stanley was in Hufflepuff, just like Newt Scamander. I’d be proud to be in that house, too”

“Of course, of course! As long as you’re happy what does it matter the house you are placed in?”

“Exactly” she said happily.

“Now, your wand is made of the wood from the pear tree, phoenix feather core, slightly springy. Ten and a quarter inches.” He proceeded to explain what some of these things meant. The conversation finally ended when Artimis was asked to pay for the wand and they left to allow two children in to purchase their wands together. Lelahel, back on the floor as a Mexican Grey Wolf, passed Seda again on the way out and something white bounded past him running toward the counter followed by the brown haired boy and thin girl they had seen before.

“Got it?” Crystal enthused

“Yeah!”

“I guess we’re all off home now then”

“But Dad!” Crystal moaned.

“Come on, now, Crystal. You’ll be seeing each other pretty much 24/7 for the next seven years. Surely you can wait a few more weeks”

“Fine” she huffed.

Back at home April laid the wand on her dressing table next to her letter and Stanley’s cage. Her mother had said she wasn’t allowed school equipment in the house because of the clutter but April had refused to give up her wand, even if she couldn’t use it properly yet.

In a few weeks she would be on a steam train bound for Scotland with Crystal and they would learn just how to use their brand new wands at the greatest wizarding school in the world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April leaves for the Hogwarts Express

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a filler chapter. 10 points to anyone who can guess the white building I was describing.

The small ground floor flat was dark but despite the very early hour quiet rustling could be heard from within.  
April hurried around her room, lit by the tiny muted television sat in the corner on her dresser next to Stanley, double checking she had everything for her school year. She’d packed and re-packed three times already. The trunk had only been there since the day before, when Artimis had dropped it off with all her school things inside already, so she could add her own few things like clothes or personal books or whatever else she wanted.   
“Books” she whispered, piling them on her single bed and counting she had the right amount, looking at the list she got with the letter every few seconds. “Clothes” she laid them out across her bed, there was barely room for much else on it now. After she’d run through the list again and was satisfied she turned to Lelahel who was patiently sat waiting for her to calm.  
“Stanley?”  
“Of course!" she rushed around her bed to get to her dresser. He was sound asleep and she didn’t want to move the cage in case she woke him. "You can stay there til we leave” she said to the sleeping Pygmy Puff. She looked at him fondly then turned to her dæmon again who had his head tilted and looked at the purple ball of fluff with curiosity. “What?”  
“Nothing. I’m just amazed the thing can sleep through your heavy feet”  
“Shut up” she smiled at him, grabbed the nearest sock and threw it at him. He changed to his favourite small form, a red squirrel, and jumped onto her shoulder tickling her with his bushy tail. “Cut it out!” she squealed. They both suddenly stood in silence as they heard movement in the room next door.  
“Oh no” they looked around the bombsite of a room in horror. “If we keep still it might be okay” he was right “Mum must’ve just been moving in her sleep”. They decided not to risk waking anyone and packed away everything neatly in the trunk in almost silence and pushed it to the foot of the bed when they were done. She sat at the end of her bed with her feet on the trunk, staring at the calendar on the wall opposite her. The new month faced her, the first day of which was circled many times and in many different colours. First of September. Today was the day.  
“Stop" Lelahel said as April went to open the truck again. She slumped on the floor, looking longingly at it. "Do something productive” they both looked as Stanley stirred. April sighed and stood up and headed for the door “Where are you going?”  
“Bath”.

 

The sun was shining through a thin layer of clouds, a slight breeze rustling the trees outside as Laura looked mournfully through the living room window. Both of her children were leaving for school. She wouldn’t see them until Christmas. When she had dreamed of having children, before she knew there was magic in the world, she knew she’d never send them away to school; she would be there to help with homework, talk about school friends and hang out on the weekends. None of these things would happen. The only consolation was that they wanted to go and weren’t being forced to. It took a lot of her energy not to grab hold of them and never let go. But she knew they would resent her if she didn’t let them go.  
“They’ll be fine” her dove dæmon reassured.  
“I know, but I’ll miss them.”  
“Mum!” April came bounding into the room with her wolf dæmon behind her. Laura never felt comfortable with her daughter having a wolf shaped dæmon; it reminded her of the darker days that had ended only five years previously. Those horrid people, pretty much all of them, had wolf dæmons. But she knew she couldn’t dictate the form of someone’s dæmon that was along the lines of touching someone else’s and that was the utmost worst thing you could do. She shuddered at thought of her dæmon being touched by anyone but herself but quickly recovered herself for her daughter.   
“What is it, dear?” she knew this would be the last time before April and Freddy left that she would be able to take in her daughter before the crazy rush of leaving distracted them all so she drank in every inch of her.  
April’s light blue, slightly almond shaped eyes gleamed with excitement, her light brown almost-auburn hair hung in loose waves to her waist, a fringe covering her forehead. Freckles dotted her nose and cheeks which were rosey pink on her round face. She was wearing blue jeans a little too big for her and a white t-shirt with a print of a pencil drawn horse on the front. My beautiful daughter, she thought.  
“Dad’s on his way” April beamed at Laura. Her heart dropped but she couldn’t help returning the infectious smile.  
“Okay, is everything ready?”  
“Yes” April replied with a wry smile.  
“Good. Come here” she stretched her arms wide and April walked into them. “I love you. I’m going to miss you so much” she felt her eyes fill with tears.  
“Don’t worry, Mom, I’ll write to you. As often as you like.”  
“You won’t write everyday”  
“Okay, not as often as that, no” April laughed and clung to her mother. They held each other like this until Freddy walked in and joined the embrace. The unit held each other, Laura like it was her last day on Earth. She kissed her children’s heads and let go. She would rather let go on her own terms than because they had to end the embrace to leave her for three months. She sniffed back the tears and smiled weakly.   
The intercom rang and her children ran to answer to it. Time passed in blurred motion. Her ex-husband helped April and Freddy take their trunks to the boot of the car they’d be taking, April finally removed the purple fluff ball from her room and, looking in, the room looked oddly empty.   
Very soon they were saying their last goodbyes and they had driven off down the road into the unknown.  
For the first time in her life Laura wished she had magic. She wished her dæmon could travel with them both and keep an eye on them, she wished she understood what they’d be learning, how safe it all was and if, in the end, it was worth it. She sat down in the living room in the still, silent and much emptier flat wishing for Christmas to come quicker than she ever had before.

 

The weather was nicer in London, as it often is. Artimis was riding shotgun with Sam driving. He was a younger man than Artimis, with pale skin and ginger hair. Artimis didn’t trust himself driving the Muggle invention so Sam had volunteered.  
“Any excuse to drive” he had said. April was sat in the passenger seat to the left, behind Artimis, Freddy was sat behind Sam and Lizzy was in the middle, staring around in awe, as was her Granddaughter, at the capitol city.  
They had been in the city of London for a very long time, April thought. Sam had insisted he try out his new Sat-Nav but the only thing it had aided in was getting lost.  
“Where are we, Sam?” Artimis asked impatiently.   
“According to the Sat-Nav..” he checked it “Bristol”  
“What?” Artimis sounded on the edge of hitting Sam where as the three back-seat passengers laughed.  
“Caledonian Road” April said brightly as they sped past a road sign.  
“Oh, well King’s Cross is just a right at the end of this road, then” They hit traffic lights as they got to the end of the road. April looked at the view, one of her last before leaving England for three months. To her left was some recruitment shop with a dark blue logo, across the road she could see a white building on the corner of the street with a blue neon sign and more neon around the three round first floor windows. She briefly wondered what was inside the building when Sam swore loudly.  
“Sam!” Lizzy protested  
“Sorry, Liz. I can’t turn right here. We have to go around” they were all getting agitated now. April just wanted to get on the train.  
After more turns and more swearing they were finally in the King’s Cross station car park. Having obtained trolleys, bumping into the Westbrook’s as they did so, they walked into the station with their luggage pushed in front of them, Stanley in his cage onto covered by a light green blanket.  
“Tickets” Lizzy said, handing one each to Freddy and April. They were stood between platforms nine and ten. Freddy clearly just wanted to get to the true platform they were aiming for but both sets of parents had insisted the first years go first. Crystal’s sisters had been given a choice to wait until they were going to the school to see the platform or to go on in with their oldest sister. They decided on the latter.  
“W-what do we do?” Crystal said.  
“Grab tight onto your trolley and swiftly walk through the barrier” Mr. Westbrook said.  
“Will it hurt?” April spluttered out.  
“Yeah. It’ll be like a thousand needles”  
“Freddy! Don’t scare them like that. It doesn’t hurt. Not at all” Freddy chuckled to himself and glanced around the platform. The girls tentatively walk up to the barrier and touched the wall.  
“Solid” April muttered. They took position behind their trolleys, ready to walk into the seemingly solid wall. Neither of them moved.  
“Come on!” Freddy said impatiently “We’ll be late” he walked forward and pushed them both hard in the back and they stumbled forward.  
“OW” they said in unison. Before they could turn to retaliate they felt as if water was being poured over them. April looked behind her; she was faced with a solid brick wall.  
“We did it” Crystal said beaming at April.  
“We did!”  
“You need to move away from the barrier, girls” a tall, bald man was looking down at them “You don’t want an accident”  
“No. Sorry” April smiled. They moved away and walked slowly further into the platform. To their right was a long brick wall stretching further than they could see. High up on the wall was a sign that read ‘Platform 9 ¾’ under that it said 'Hogwarts Express’. To the left were rail tracks, on top of which was a scarlet steam train.  
“Wow” the friends said in unison. They stopped next to the train about a quarter of the way down, waiting for their families to appear. April looked through the nearest window into the train and saw three students; two boys on one side of the carriage and a girl on the other. The boy nearest to the door was rather on the skinny side, had a mop of brown hair, slightly wavy, almond hazel eyes and his cheeks went into dimples when he smiled at the boy to his left. The other boy’s hair wasn’t as messy as the firsts but was a darker shade of brown, he had a scar across the right side of his face but it didn’t seem to faze him, at least he didn’t show that it did. The girl was sat straight opposite the second boy, she was possibly even thinner than the first and also had brown hair that was almost to her waist; her face was obscured by a magazine. All three of them were quite obviously in the lower years of school, but their exact age April couldn’t tell from this distance. An older girl opened the compartment door; she had the same almond eyes as the first boy and threw something at him then ran back out laughing. He swiftly stood and ran after her, leaving the girl and the second boy alone.  
“There you are!”  
“Hi, Nan” April said turning to face the newly arrived unit. Crystal’s sisters were looking around just as awe struck as Crystal was. April hadn’t taken it all in yet; she couldn’t believe she was finally here.   
The same tall blonde boy she had seen in Diagon Alley walked up to Freddy and they greeted each other.  
“I’m going on now” he said as Lizzy encompassed him with her arms.   
“Bring back stories” she said as she let go. Artimis patted him on the back.  
“Don’t get too distracted by Quidditch, eh? Tell me if you win” he winked and with that Freddy boarded the train with his friend.  
The two friends looked at each other, both too scared to move first.  
“Go on, it’ll go off without you” Mrs. Westbrook said; a smile on her lips. It was half an hour before the train would depart but the girls still looked worried that they might miss the train they were stood right next to. They looked at the massive scarlet thing and April felt a little intimidated by it. She looked at Lelahel, the form of an African Pygmy Dormouse on her right shoulder. He nodded at her encouragingly.   
“Right” she said a little more confident “Let’s do this”.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I rather like this chapter even though not an awful lot really happens, just a lot of talking!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> April is on the Hogwarts Express on her way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry and meets some new people during the journey.

“This way, squirt” Freddy called from about a quarter of the way down the train “Someone I want you to meet.” Just behind him was a pale girl with bright orange hair “This is Kate Malone”  
“Hello” she said brightly “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m starting my fourth year and I’m Ravenclaw, just like Freddy” she looked at him in a way that showed more than friendship and her kiwi dæmon nuzzled at Freddy’s woodpecker dæmon. She spoke in an accent April couldn’t identify.  
“Where are you from?” she said before she could stop herself. She assumed the only accents she’d be hearing would be English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish. Kate laughed in a way that suggested she was asked this a lot.  
“New Zealand. We moved here five years ago, ready for me to go to Hogwarts.” She briefly glanced at the compartment to her left then looked to Freddy.  
“Which leads us nicely-” he opened the compartment door “-to this” inside there were four people. April noticed three of them were the ones she’d seen through the train window earlier; she could see their dæmons now. An arctic fox lay across the girl’s lap, her face concealed by a magazine she could now make out to be The Quibbler. In the three foot space on the floor sat a lynx and a half wolf half fox looking creature, they were playfully flicking their tails at each other. The new body in the room was sat opposite the first boy, her hair was the same colour as Kate’s but was cut short, her nose dotted with freckles and her grey eyes brimmed with curiosity as she saw the door open. A red panda was curled around her neck.  
“Mary!” Kate said “You just met Freddy, this is his sister, April, she’s starting this year, same as you and this is her friend… erm”  
“Crystal. Hi.” Crystal said, smiling at Mary.  
“Hello” April said, also smiling.  
“Hello” Mary said, a little cautiously, her dæmon looked up to survey the two girls.  
“You’re new, too?” the boy closest to the door said enthusiastically looking at Mary, Crystal and April. Kate and Freddy continued down the train satisfied April and Crystal would sit in this carriage and be fine there. Mary stared at him not saying anything, Crystal nodded.  
“Yep, first years” April said with pride. She looked at Crystal and being best friends was able to communicate her question. Crystal silently replied and they walked into the compartment knowing the other was okay with it. They stowed their belongings in the over-head shelf, Stanley stayed on April’s lap. Crystal sat between the boys and April between the girls. Lyka, a chinchilla, lay on Crystal’s lap staring at the familiar dæmon on the floor. Lelahel, a red squirrel climbed onto April’s head and did the same.  
“What?” the wolf-fox said.  
“You’re Seda?” Lelahel asked.  
“Oh, it’s you two again?” she smiled  
“Who two?” the boy with the scar asked in a Scottish accent.  
“We first met in Diagon Alley when you were pre-occupied with Quidditch stuff” she looked around the carriage; she seemed to be making sure she had a captivated audience. “These two were the form of a wolf and a fox sat either side of me.”  
“Oh.” He laughed, he obviously understood what had happened “Seda, here, is a Maned Wolf” a soft ‘oooh’ could be heard from April and Lelahel.  
“A real animal then?” Lyka asked, jumping to the floor and changing to a fox.  
“Yep. Very real” the boy confirmed.   
“I’m Lyka, my human is Crystal” he said motioning his orange head at her and putting his right paw out to Seda.  
“Seda. Nathan” she said motioning to the scarred boy and placing her paw on Lyka’s “and you?” she said to Lelahel. He jumped and turned to a Mexican grey wolf mid-way, landing elegantly next to Lyka.  
“I’m Lelahel. Mexican Grey Wolf” he emphasised the breed he then looked at April “and that’s April Moon” Lelahel bowed at Seda than the lynx dæmon faced him.  
“Alora” she said cheerily with a hint of an American accent “and him, there, that’s Dylan” they bowed too, then Alora and Lyka 'shook’ paws.  
“That is the oddest set of introductions I’ve ever seen” Dylan laughed “Since when do dæmons introduce their humans to other dæmons? How formal was that?” he gestured at the four dæmons and laughed more. Nathan joined in too and soon the five of them were giggling together. The red panda jumped onto Mary’s lap.  
“I’m Elimiah!” he announced in the same New Zealand accent as his human. They all started laughing more, all except the girl with the Quibbler who seemed to be completely in her own world until the noise was so much that she revealed her face to see what the cause was.   
“Hello there” Nathan said to her, smiling.  
“Hi” she said a little dazed; acclimatising to the new surroundings now she was finally out of the magazine. Her brown hair was styled into a fringe that covered most of her of face but one of her green eyes was visible and looking at Nathan; the arctic fox on her lap was looking around the carriage at everybody else.  
“What’s your name?” Nathan asked.  
“Isla” she replied.  
“Nice to meet you, Isla” he smiled and she smiled back “This is April, Mary, Dylan and Crystal and I’m Nathan.” He pointed at each one of them as he named them. “And this is Seda.”  
“Leuviah” said the arctic fox, lifting his head more now. He looked at the dæmons more closely than their humans and was met with polite stares back from all but Lelahel and Alora who were busy trying to change into the most creative thing they could in the limited space they had.  
“What’s in the cage?” Dylan said cocking his head.  
“Huh?” April said confused at the sudden change in subject. Dylan pointed to Stanley’s cage on her lap. “Oh, Stanley” she said smiling.  
“Stanley?” Dylan laughed, his dimples showing.  
“Err, yeah.” She lifted the green blanket to reveal him.  
“Is that-” Nathan faltered. Seda looked at him in a way that suggested this didn’t happen often. “Is that a Pygmy Puff?” Dylan stifled a laugh and April shot him a dirty look for it.  
“Yes” she answered haughtily.   
“Stanley the purple Pygmy Puff? That’s ridiculous!” Dylan laughed out loud at this.  
“Did you get him from Diagon?”  
“Yes, just after my Granddad died” Dylan stopped laughing at this and seemed to find his sleeve suddenly quite interesting.  
“They’re odd looking things”  
“Yeah they are!” Crystal said, agreeing with Nathan.  
“Can I take a picture?”  
“Sorry?” Nathan stood up and rummaged in his trunk, then pulled out a flashbulb camera. “Oh, cool!” April said in awe.   
“Could you get him out so I can get a proper picture?”  
“I guess, what for?” April replied as she opened the hatch.  
“I’m making a scrapbook of all the creatures I meet.”  
“Oh, awesome”  
“Will you be developing the pictures in school?” Mary asked.  
“I will, yeah” he smiled “second week of term extracurricular classes start and I’m taking art where I’ll learn all that”  
“Really?” April and Dylan said together, Nathan nodded.  
“My sister never told me told me you could do extra classes!” Dylan said indignantly.  
“Nor did my brother. Only Quidditch.” April signed.  
“Your brother’s on the Quidditch team?” Nathan and Dylan said together.  
“Yeah, Keeper” she said with pride.  
“What house?” the boys asked.  
“Ravenclaw”  
“Freddy Moon?” Nathan said alone this time.  
“Yeah, how’d you know?”  
“My brother is in Ravenclaw, third year. He tells me about the Hogwarts teams but mostly Ravencl-."   
"My sister’s third year Ravenclaw!” Dylan said. “So, my sister is in Ravenclaw, your brother is, your brother is Keeper for Ravenclaw. What about you?” he asked Mary.  
“Yeah, Kate’s fifth year Eagle”  
“This is so weird!” he turned to Crystal “You?”  
“I’m the eldest; I’ve got two younger sisters”  
“Oh.. what about you?” He asked Isla. She looked a bit taken aback.  
“No” she said quietly shaking her head and going back to her magazine again. April could sense there was something upsetting Isla but didn’t want to intrude since they hadn’t actually spoken yet. She stared at the magazine thinking about the girl holding it. She wanted to be this girls’ friend. April had always been good at first impressions and she liked Isla without knowing why. She suspected this was how she and Crystal had first hit it off when their parents had introduced them as babies but it was so long ago she couldn’t remember. She turned back to the carriage; the boys were talking about extracurricular classes.  
“Yeah, but not until third year.” Nathan said to Dylan.  
“What? No way, that’s not fair”  
“I know but it is what it is, at least we can do Art this year”  
“But music is my passion. I didn’t even know you could do music classes here and now I find out you can, I have to wait another two years. This sucks.”  
“What do you play?” Crystal asked.  
“Mostly guitar, bit of piano. It’s my dream to be in a famous band.”  
“You’re eleven. That could easily change” Mary contributed.  
“Nah, you don’t understand. Music is” he paused “It’s… it’s the blood in my veins”  
“I know what you mean” Nathan smiled at him “That’s how I feel about photography. Oh, can I take that picture now?”  
“Oh, yeah!” April had totally forgotten about Stanley sitting in her hand. “Go for it” she smiled at him. She liked that she was helping contribute toward someone’s passion.  
“Strike a pose” he laughed. April held Stanley close to her face and nuzzled at him, the carriage filled with laugher again then with a momentary bright light. Once the picture had been taken she put Stanley, who was blinking wildly, back into his cage.  
“When did the train start moving?” Nathan asked as he put his camera away. Mary rolled her eyes.  
“About ten minutes ago. You’re definitely not Ravenclaw, are you?” April’s stomach flipped. She hadn’t noticed the train start to move either but she was hoping for Ravenclaw. She dreaded she wasn’t worthy of her dream house.  
“I don’t want to be in the same house as my brother!” he laughed at his indiscreet insult toward his brother. “I don’t really mind where I go. As long as I get my grade at the end, it doesn’t bother me.”  
“You won’t be saying that when your house is losing at Quidditch or house points” Dylan pointed out.  
“No, you’re right. Where do you want to go?” Dylan thought about it for a few seconds before he answered.  
“Ravenclaw. My whole family have been in Ravenclaw. Besides, the creative traits Ravenclaw’s are known for will let me know if I’m on the right track with my music passion. What about everyone else?”  
“I’m hoping for Gryffindor” said Crystal.  
“Ravenclaw” replied Mary.  
“Same” said April. Scared now she’d voiced her wish she had jinxed it and would end up somewhere else.  
“So, these Art classes, what do they involve?” Mary asked Nathan.  
“I don’t know completely. I’m sure they’ll explain before we sign up. I suppose they’ll teach us how to create art with magic. Are you thinking of signing up?”  
“Maybe.”  
“I think I will. I love art and creating things” April beamed.  
“Same!” said Dylan.  
“I might, too. Might kill time during the week and if April isn’t in the same house as me, we can hang out in that class”  
“Oh, Crystal, you’re such a good friend” April said pretending to cry with happiness. The boys and Crystal laughed.  
The compartment door opened with a loud bang. The six of them jumped and Crystal suppressed a scream.  
“Oh gosh, sorry!” A girl stood there, she had long black hair, brown almond eyes and a wide smile on her face, she spoken in an American accent. “I’m Lucy Sinclair, I heard there were first years in here. I’m first year, see. I want to try and meet all the first years before we get to the school. You know, I met two Muggle-borns in the compartment next to this. I’ve never met a Muggle-born before. Their Muggle lives seem fascinating. I might take Muggle Studies in my third year.” She said all this very fast. She walked into the carriage with a Red Winged Blackbird on her shoulder and sat between Crystal and Nathan. They all stared at her amazed. “What are your names?” she smiled and looked around.  
“I-I’m Nathan, that’s Crystal, Dylan, Mary, April and Isla” Nathan recovered first.  
“Hello everyone, I’m Lucy. I already said that. This is Marius.” The little bird dæmon on her shoulder bowed at them with his wings stretched out “Are any of you Muggle-born?” she asked curiously. They all shook their heads.  
“No, but I went to Muggle school since I was four, same as April. April’s mum is a Muggle so she’s kind of been bought up in both worlds.”  
“Really?” Lucy looked at April in fascination. She nodded back shyly; Lelahel jumped as a red squirrel onto her shoulder. “What was it like for you?”  
“I couldn’t say, I don’t know any different”  
“And you went to Muggle school, too? How come?”  
“Well, April’s mum wanted her and her brother to lead as Muggle of a life as she could until it was time for school and my parents thought it would be good to raise awareness, lots of parents have started doing it, they said”  
“Yeah! I met some triplets who went to Muggle school.” She briefly looked out of the window then looked Nathan straight in the face. “Where’d you get the scar from?”  
The mood in the carriage changed instantly. The previous very happy Nathan stiffened and stared blankly back at Lucy.  
“Erm” he said, Seda sat up very still, staring at her human. “Err..” he looked at Seda straight in the eyes and disjointedly gave his answer “there was an accident” he seemed to be reliving said accident as his eyes filled with something April couldn’t connect with Nathan, even in the short time she’d known him but that something she couldn’t put her finger on. Isla’s magazine was lowered again and she was looking at Nathan intensely, brows furrowed.   
April was trying to find a way to change the subject but didn’t need to as a knock on the door distracted them all and the tension quickly melted away.   
“Anything off the trolley?” a plump, grey haired, friendly looking woman opened the door. They all stood, April put Stanley on the seat she had been sat in; the larger dæmons stayed in the carriage, the smaller ones sat on their humans, and they headed out into the hall of the train.  
A small crowd had gathered around the food trolley from the surrounding carriages, students of all ages, some already in their school robes. April couldn’t help but stare at the Ravenclaw crest sat on one of the student’s chests.  
“Riley! Phoebe!” Lucy said, greeting two girls from the next compartment.  
“Err hi” said a tall girl with dark short hair, bright blue eyes and tanned skin.  
“Hello” a well built blonde girl said brightly. Both of them looked in wonder at the food on the trolley, Mary looked at the two of the in a way that said 'how are you amazed by food?’.  
“These are the Muggle-borns I was telling you about” Lucy smiled. A look of understanding crossed Mary’s face then she went closer to the trolley to pick her food. “This is Riley” she pointed to the tall girl “and this is Phoebe” she pointed to the blonde girl.  
“Hi, I’m April, I was bought up in a Muggle household so I’ll get the Muggle references if you need someone to chat to” April smiled at them both and felt the same vibe coming off Riley as she had off Isla. She wanted to be Riley’s friend. “This is Crystal, she went to Muggle school with me so she’ll get some of the references too” she laughed.  
“You went to Muggle school?” Riley asked.  
“Yeah”  
“But you’re not Muggle-born?”  
“Nope” April explained about her mother as she had to the carriage earlier and then she, Crystal, Dylan, Nathan and Lucy helped the two girls choose what to eat.  
“Thank you” Riley said to them and left for her carriage with Phoebe.  
“I’m gonna try and meet more people, more first years. See you in classes, maybe.” They all said goodbye to Lucy and returned to their compartment with their chosen food.  
They chatted about all sorts as they sat there travelling to Scotland. April was soon distracted by the countryside passing the windows and wasn’t really contributing to the conversation. She didn’t notice the sun fall behind the horizon until she couldn’t see anything else outside at all. Mary pointed out they should change into their robes soon and so they did.  
“I’m getting nervous” Crystal said, Lyka a chinchilla on her lap.  
“I’m not” the boys said together and laughed because of it.  
“Nor me” Mary said passively.  
“I’m nervous, Crystal, you’re not the only one” April said “What about you, Isla?”  
“Erm. A little” she said, magazine in her trunk now.  
The train slowly came to a stop and the call for first years could be heard from the platform outside. The six of them stood, dæmons close to their humans, and walked out onto the Hogsmeade Station platform.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts first-years see the school for the very first time and get sorted into their houses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so very long but hopefully the length of the chapter makes up for it. Don’t judge me on how awful the Sorting Hat song is, please.

A thousand or so students poured onto the platform and April soon lost Crystal in the sea of people.  
“Firs’ years!” the call came again. April looked around but couldn’t see where the call was coming from.  
“Fly,” she said to Lelahel and he quickly became a peregrine falcon. He rose into the air, high above the crowd and spotted the unmistakeable form of the man they’d read about and been told about during the war when they were much younger.  
“Look above the crowd,” he said back on her shoulder. April pointed her eyes over the mass of heads and laughed at herself for not spotting him before.  
“That’s Hagrid!”  
“Yeah! Go to him.” She waded through the crowd until she reached a very tall, well built, bearded man with black beetle eyes.   
“Firs’ year?” he smiled down at her.  
“Er.. yes.”  
“Good, you stick with me,” he glanced around the platform and continued calling for first years. The platform was emptying now and April had no idea where the other students might have gone. Now there was less people she could see her surrounds better. To the left was a road, twisting away into the darkness. To the right all she could see was trees, masses of trees.  
“The Forbidden Forest,” Lelahel said with reverence. In front of them was a small gathering of trees behind which was a large expanse of water, black and mirror like.   
“April!”  
“Huh?” she turned to see Crystal there, panting.  
“I couldn’t find you!”  
“I’ve been here with the professor,” she gestured at the man.  
“Is that Hagrid?” she whispered looking up at the half-giant.  
“I think so, yeah.”  
“Oh my gosh! Are you Hagrid?!” a voice called from the centre of the small gathering of first years that had started to form.  
“That's Professor Hagrid,” he said as excited whispers erupted through the crowd.  
“Who’s Hagrid?” someone from behind her whispered. It was Phoebe. Lucy was the first to explain and April quickly realised it was her who had called out before.  
“He’s half human, half giant. He’s a living hero! Took Harry Potter to the Dursley’s when his parents died.”  
“Who’s Harry Potter?” Phoebe asked.  
“Who’s-?!” Lucy started indignantly.  
“Ne'er mind for now. Yer want to start school, don’t yer?” Professor Hagrid interrupted. A chorus of ‘yes’ sounded. “Well then, follow me,” he led them all forward off the platform and into the gathering of trees then down a steep pathway that led to a bank where small boats floated serenely. “No more'n four to a boat,” he said clambering into the largest one at the front which had a bright lantern attached to the front.  
One by one the students claimed their boats but April didn’t move.  
“Come along,” Hagrid prompted.  
“But.. but the water,” she stuttered. Just being on the bank made her feel uneasy, a low sense of foreboding lay deep in the pit of her stomach.  
“Don’t like wa'er, eh?”  
“N-no.”  
“The boats are enchanted, they won’t sink.”  
“I might fall out,” her eyes didn’t leave the water as if it would perform some dastardly trick on her if she let it out of her sight.  
“Not 'less you’re stupid,” he smiled at her. She sniffed a little but clambered into the last boat which contained Crystal, Mary and Phoebe with shaky limbs none the less.. “Right. E'eryone ready? Good. Let’s go. FORWARD.” The small fleet immediately lurched forward and April was quite positive she would be sick. She focused on the forest and saw a creature fly above the canopy. She briefly wondered what it might be before she was distracted by a wondrous sight.   
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
It was everything she had imagined and more, thousands of lights came from the castle and reflected, twinkling, in the lake made her feel like she was floating in the stars. The castle sat atop a cliff edge and its towers rose high into the black sky. It was much bigger than she’d thought it would be.  
“Wow,” she gasped and she wasn’t the only one. Many of the first years were sat in deferential silence, some with their mouths hanging open. Many of the dæmons had become birds to soar above the boats or water creatures to soar below. Lelahel decided to be a peregrine falcon again and rose quickly above the others. A crow caught him up, Alora, and they chased one another until the large beetle dæmon of Hagrid’s told them to stay closer to the boats as they got closer to the castle.  
They approached the cliff face and as they got closer April saw a curtain of ivy draped down the side on the cliff stopping only a few feet above the water.  
“Duck yer heads, kids,” Hagrid called. They did so and when April looked up she saw a dark tunnel revealed before her.  
“We must be under the castle,” Crystal whispered.  
“Yeah, we must,” April said, trying to see everything all at once. She didn’t want to miss anything at all. The dark tunnel opened out to reveal an underground harbour. The boats stopped and the first years stumbled and climbed onto the rocks there. Hagrid made sure everyone was out safe.  
“Yuh alrigh’?” he asked at large.  
“Where are our things?” one boy asked.  
“You ask that now?” Nathan laughed.  
“They’re up at the castle. You’ll get 'em when you’re sorted,” Hagrid assured and there was a quiet sigh of relief amongst murmurs of confusion. April realised the confusion must have come from Muggle-borns who hadn’t had 'sorting’ explained to them yet. Perhaps they believed they would be shuffled around like cards or even given some quiz or task to do. She smiled in relief at her prior knowledge of what lay ahead. Hagrid walked up a passage in the rocks, the first years not far behind him despite his long stride, coming out onto a vast lawn then proceeded to walk up large stone steps that led to a giant oak door. He stopped and counted the students then knocked on the wood.  
It opened at once and at first April, who was at the top step, thought it had opened on its own.  
“Hello, Professor,” Hagrid said, looking to the floor. April followed his eyes and saw he was, in fact, looking at a very tiny man with a wide grin on his face.  
“Oh, Hagrid! I wasn’t expecting you all so soon,” he said in a squeaky voice.  
“Kids, this is Professor Flitwick. Deputy Head, Charms professor, head of Ravenclaw and he teaches music class to those who elect to take it,” he said in a rehearsed manor. April gasped slightly. She aimed to please him before the sorting in case it gave her a better chance of being sorted into Ravenclaw.  
“Come with me,” Flitwick squeaked. They all piled through the doors and were utterly awed by the sight of the Entrance Hall. April looked up and expected a painting worthy of the Sistine Chapel but instead could not identify where the ceiling ended, let alone see its design. The area was massive, for lack of a better word. Bigger than any house she had lived in; her own flat could fit comfortably inside several times. On the stone walls hung torches which spread light everywhere, opposite the group was a grand staircase and to their right another oak door, though not as large as the main door it was still of an impressive size.  
Flitwick gathered them in front of the door. “Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft Wizardry,” he smiled. They responded with a wave of nervous energy. “Just wait in this room,” his pygmy owl dæmon flew over to a small door “and I will come and get you when we’re ready to sort you,” he gave another smile and waited for them all to spill into the tiny room before closing the door. There was silence in the room when the door opened again and the small professor came back in.  
“I forgot to explain,” he said, panting slightly “The start of term feast will start after the Sorting Ceremony. The ceremony will place you in one of four houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each has its own unique traits and while here in Hogwarts your house will be like your family. Positive things will earn your house points. Negative will take them away. At the end of the year the house with most points wins the house cup. A great honour, indeed. The ceremony will happen in front of the school in a few minutes. Take this time to smarten up, okay. First impressions matter,” he gave yet another smile then left. The students waited to see if he would return; when he didn’t there was an outbreak of shuffling bodies.  
“You look fine,” Lelahel whispered in April’s ear.  
There was a slight humming from the students but no one spoke above a whisper. Almost all looked terrified. Mary was not one of them. The hum stopped and was replaced by a scream from Phoebe.  
“They’re only ghosts,” said a girl with a sheet of black hair. “Have you never seen a ghost before?”  
April jostled to see four pearly people, three male and one female, floating very close to Phoebe.  
“No, because she’s Muggle-born. Don’t be so senseless,” Lucy defended Phoebe.  
“Senseless?”  
“Now, girls. Calm down,” said the fattest of the ghosts. “We are the house ghosts. I am the ghost of Hufflepuff. This lady is the ghost of Ravenclaw.” He gestured to a mournful, pretty ghost.  
“I’m the ghost of Gryffindor,” said a ghost in a Tudor ruff.  
“And I of Slytherin,” said the final ghost, a curious stain on his silver clothes.  
“We’re wishing you luck,” said Gryffindor’s ghost haughtily. Then they floated out through the wall looking rather insulted. There was a slight silence then Riley spoke.  
“How come I’ve never seen a ghost before?”  
“Well, only witches and wizards can become ghosts and there are regulations on them to stay away from Muggles,” Crystal explained.  
“Oh, okay. Are there loads here?”  
“I’d say so. This castle’s been here since before Merlin was around.”  
“Merlin!” Phoebe interjected “He’s not real. He’s a made up story, like King Arthur.”  
“I don’t know who King Arthur is but Merlin was definitely a real wizard. He went to Hogwarts, he was in Slytherin,” Mary announced.  
“If he was a wizard how come I’ve heard of him?”  
“Back when he was alive the restrictions were almost none existent so obviously stories of Merlin trickled into your awareness and Muggles made their own stories from that,” Mary stated. Phoebe was about to answer back when the chamber door opened once more. They all turned to face the door remembering, after the slight distraction, what they were all actually there for.  
Lelahel wrapped his squirrel tail around the back of April’s neck to comfort her, but also to comfort himself by being closer to her.  
Flitwick was stood at the door and beckoned them out of the small room. They shifted nervously before following him out back into the Entrance Hall where the Grand Staircase was and the large oak door that would lead them into the Great Hall, inside which their houses would be decided.  
They stood opposite the massive door and Professor Flitwick’s words resonated in Lelahel’s mind. He decided that being cowardly wrapped around his humans neck was not a good first impression. He jumped down from her and became a Mexican grey wolf. Being something the size of an Alsatian would give her more confidence than being the size of a rat, he thought. Many of the other dæmons saw the sense in his actions and copied him. Lyka a fox, Alora a lynx, Seda a maned wolf. Lelahel noticed just how much taller Seda was than him now; she was quite intimidating when he thought about it.  
“In a line, if you please,” Flitwick told them. They bustled and shuffled until they were in an orderly queue. April stood behind the girl with black hair and Crystal stood behind April. “Now, follow me,” he squeaked excitedly. The double doors opened to reveal a large splendid hall.  
The Great Hall had four long tables running its length- one per house, April thought- and another long table lay at the top of the hall where the teachers were sat. Upon the tables were golden plates and goblets, suspiciously empty. Above the tables hung thousands of candles midair casting a delicate glow onto every student sat at the four tables.  
“Oh my,” Lelahel gasped. April looked down at him and saw he was looking at the ceiling. She followed his gaze and gasped also as she, again, saw there was no ceiling to be seen. Instead there was a star plastered sky just like the one they had left outside.  
“It’s bewitched,” Mary said simply and it made sense to April now.  
They were led up the centre of the hall between the Hufflepuff table to the left and Gryffindor table on the right and stopped just before a plinth with a golden owl on top in front of the teachers table. Flitwick indicated they stay put and he hurried forward to pick up a wooden four-legged stool and placed it in front of the first years. On top of the stool he put a tattered, dirty, very old looking pointed wizard’s hat. The kind of hat she’d often seen her Granddad Stanley wearing. She sighed as she thought of him but quickly forced herself to pay attention. Flitwick was now stood to the side of the stool staring at the hat. April stared too waiting for something to happen.  
The hat twitched, a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and then the hat began to sing.

 

The Hogwarts Sorting Hat is me  
I’ll tell you where you ought to be  
I may not look like much, but don’t fret  
I’m the smartest hat you’ll ever see  
Will you be in daring Gryffindor  
Who are chivalrous and brave?  
Or in patient Hufflepuff  
Those who are loyal and know how to behave  
Or yet in creative Ravenclaw  
Who are witty and wise?  
Perhaps in cunning Slytherin  
Those who reach for the skies  
Try me on, I’ll see right into your head  
With me on top I’ll know your every hope and dread  
Do not be scared, I won’t bite  
I have no teeth, you see  
I am no normal tattered hat  
I’m one of wizardry. 

The Hall exploded into applause when the hat had finished. It bowed its point to each of the house tables in turn then once again became motionless.  
“So, what, we wear it? That’s all?” Riley sounded relieved.  
“Obviously,” the girl in front of April muttered to her wasp dæmon. April wasn’t sure she liked this girl very much. She didn’t dwell on it, though, as she was more concerned with what would happen when the hat was upon her head. One thing was for sure, it looked far too big for any of them.  
Professor Flitwick took a few steps forward with a long roll of parchment which lapped at the floor.  
“When I call your name, put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,” he squeaked.  
April went again to her reverie and missed the first few names. She was only bought back to reality when the hat shouted “RAVENCLAW” for the first time, sorting a girl with dirty blonde hair called Kathleen Branstone into April’s most wanted house while the whole Hall, but predominantly the Ravenclaw quarter, cheered her result. Next to be sorted into Ravenclaw was a petit girl named Ava Crieff. After Ava came two more Crieff’s, Lawrence then Sora, who were sorted into Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, respectively. They could only be the triplets Lucy had mentioned on the train who’d also gone to Muggle school despite their magical parentage.  
“Douglas, Meela,” Flitwick called. The girl in front of April sauntered forward.  
“RAVENCLAW,” the hat shouted. April sighed.   
“Can’t have it all,” Lelahel muttered. She only paid attention to those sorted into Ravenclaw now in the hopes of someone making up for Meela being in that house but missed a few here and there as the cheers reverberated around the Hall. Even if she wasn’t sorted into Ravenclaw she felt sorry for those who had to be in the same house as her and hoped they’d be some nice students there to compensate for her. After Meela into Ravenclaw was “English, Charles”, “Harper, Max” and “Lee, Sonny”.  
“Malone, Mary” Professor Flitwick called. April looked to see her stood somewhere near the back of the line. It was as if she had been holding her fear inside her until that very moment and it now was surfacing rapidly. Even from where April was she could see that Mary was turning a light shade of green which clashed with her ginger hair in a way that made her look even more ill. April mentally urged her forward but she did not move, instead Mary’s eyes bulged in her pale face while her dæmon hung limply from her shoulders like an old taxidermy scarf.  
“Mary!” came a sharp call from the table furthest to the left. April quickly glanced and saw it was Mary’s sister, Kate, sitting next to Freddy at the Ravenclaw table. Freddy gave her the thumbs up and April blushed with embarrassment and nerves. The call seemed to have done the job as Mary suddenly stood stiff in her position like a soldier standing to attention then strode forward toward the stool.   
“RAVENCLAW,” the hat shouted and April couldn’t help but smile.   
“Malone,” Lelahel said, urgently.  
“So?”  
“M!”  
“What’s your point?”  
“You’re an M, idiot.”  
“Oh my. Moon. Oh God. I think I’m going to be sick.”  
“Mason, Phoebe,” Flitwick called and April let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.  
“HUFFLEPUFF!”  
“Oh gosh!” April muttered.  
“You’ll be fine,” Crystal said with a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
“Moon, April,” Flitwick called. April let out a quiet whimper.  
“Good luck,” Crystal uttered with a slight push on her shoulder.  
April stumbled slightly on her shaking legs but that was nothing out of the ordinary, she was never very good on her feet anyway. She focused on moving each leg forward but couldn’t quite concentrate when she had the burning sensation of all those eyes on her.  
Finally she reached the stool and clasped to the sides like her life depended on it as she sat down. She looked desperately toward her brother in the hopes of some last comfort, he simply smiled at her. She felt the unwelcome pressure of the hat being placed on her head and suddenly all she could see was the inside of the damned thing.  
“Desperate for Ravenclaw, are we?” said a voice in her head. She quickly realised it was the hat.  
“I hope this isn’t an interview” she thought.  
“Not as such,” it replied.  
“You.. you can hear my thoughts?”  
“Of course! You wouldn’t want to do this in front of everyone, would you?”  
“Ain’t that a loaded question?” it ignored her this time and continued its analysis.  
“The ambition of a Slytherin is plain to see and the loyalty of a Hufflepuff. But an individuality and creativity only seen in a Ravenclaw plus that unquestionable thirst for knowledge, that undeniable curiosity,” the hat paused.  
“So.. where are you putting me?”  
“Oh, it’s obvious, isn’t it? You are a RAVENCLAW” the hat shouted the last word out for the whole Hall to hear rather than in her head. She took the hat off and passed it to Professor Flitwick then stumbled to the right toward the Ravenclaw table on rickety legs. She didn’t think she’d ever smiled so widely.   
“We did it!” Lelahel rejoiced.  
“Didn’t we just,” she smiled down at him as he pranced to the spot nearest to Mary. She sat down at the cheering table next to her new housemate only just hearing Freddy as he congratulated her with the most vigour.  
“Nice one, squirt, knew you had it in you!” he got up and hugged her. April gave a nervous giggle.  
“Thanks,” Kate came to hug her too then patted Mary on the back as she sat back down next to her sister then Freddy sat down next to Kate. April’s attention was bought back to the line of waiting first years when the next name was called; she twisted in her seat to watch.  
“Rane, Isla,” Isla stepped forward with her arctic fox at her heels.   
“HUFFLEPUFF” the hat called out for the Hall a few seconds later. She looked pleased with the result and took a seat on the table next to the one April was sat at.  
Lucy Sinclair pranced forward full of excitement when her name was called and sat on the stool with a huge grin on her face “GRYFFINDOR” the hat called. Next Riley was called forward, she didn’t look much better than Mary had. The hat decided she was a Slytherin. The next name called made April sit stiff in her chair with anxiety for her friend.  
“Westbrook, Crystal,” she walked forward slowly like a funeral march. April knew it was for fear of falling over but said nothing. When the hat was placed on her head it was there about a minute before deciding to place her in Slytherin. She took the hat off, looked toward April with a sad smile at being apart for their first day at Hogwarts then headed for the table furthest from April.  
“You’ll see her soon enough,” Lelahel reassured.  
“Yeah,” she tried to smile but, failing, distracted herself with the penultimate first year to be sorted.  
“Wood, Nathan” who was placed in Gryffindor. Last to be sorted was “Wyler, Dylan” who took his place next to April when he was sorted into Ravenclaw.  
“We made it then, eh,” he smiled at her.  
“Yeah.”  
“Then why do you look so sad?”  
“Crystal. She’s in Slytherin.”  
“And… you think she’s doing to go dark side?” he laughed a little.  
“Of course not!” April said indignantly.  
“Well then, lighten up! It’s not like she’s been stationed in New Zealand. She’s only over there,” he twisted in his seat and pointed across the Hall. She turned too and saw Crystal chatting happily to the other new Slytherin’s.   
“Yeah, you’re right. Sorry,” she lamented.  
“Hey, don’t be sorry,” he sympathised looking her straight in the eyes and putting his arm around her shoulders; she couldn’t help but look back. He smiled at her and somehow she felt better.  
“Welcome!"the Hall shifted to face the front again and saw a tall witch with black hair tied tight into a bun stood at the golden plinth.   
"McGonagall,” Lelahel whispered. April ignored him. Professor McGonagall wore emerald robes and a black pointed wizard’s hat; a much more aesthetically pleasing hat than the one that had not long ago sat atop April’s head. “Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts, please, enjoy the feast.” Everyone turned back to their respective tables, April followed suit, gasping as she saw the previously empty plates full of food of every sort. Everyone went straight for the nearest chicken but April pointedly avoided it and instead opted to get vegetables on her plate.  
“Not vegetarian are you?” said a blonde boy with short messy hair and light blue eyes.   
“N-no. I do it in order. Veg, potatoes then meat.”  
“Of course, standard. Just the way you looked at the chicken was like it personally offended you.”  
“Oh,” she laughed nervously “no, I just don’t like chicken.” He looked at her with mock offence then introduced himself.  
“I’m Charlie,” he beamed between mouthfuls.  
“April,” she replied.  
“Looks sad, doesn’t she?” Kathleen mentioned.  
“Who?” Meela asked.  
“Helena,” she gestured to the other end of the table where the female ghost they’d seen earlier was floating, still looking mournful.   
“You know her name?” Dylan joined in.  
“Yes. Helena Ravenclaw.”  
“That’s Helena Ravenclaw?!” April said astonished.  
“Yeah. I take it you’ve heard of her.”  
“Of course! The diadem and the Room of Requirement, everyone knows the story. Well, most do,” April said thinking of the Muggle-borns who would have even more to learn than she would.  
The conversation changed from the war to the house they were in and then all sorts of rumours about the school were mentioned among the group of first year Ravenclaws. The main courses quickly disappeared from their plates and were replaced by puddings of every kind; it wasn’t long until the Hall was on second helpings.  
“Is anyone here on their own? Like, no family or friends here?” Ava asked with her finch dæmon sat on her head. Most shook their heads but Max, a tall brown-haired boy, raised his hand.  
“Hey, don’t worry,” Charlie said clapping Max on the back “I’ll be your friend.”  
“Ha ha, thanks, mate. Appreciate it.”  
“And me,” Meela said. The first years all turned to stare at her in disbelief. The group had not known each other long but they had all noticed Meela’s lack of nice things to say. “I’m here alone, I mean. No previous friends, no family.”  
“There’s a surprise,” Lelahel whispered from under the table. Meela didn’t hear him say this but some of the first years did and they all attempted to suppress the laughter that ensued.   
“What about you?” Dylan addressed a boy across the table who hadn’t spoken yet. He had black hair, brown eyes and wore thick-rimmed glasses.  
“No. One,” he struggled to say.  
“Oh. Where are you from?”  
“Chi-na,” he replied. “I am. So-nny Lee,” he left pauses like he was trying very hard not to misspeak.   
“How come you’re at Hogwarts and not a wizarding school in China?”  
“No,” he said, dramatically shaking his head.  
“Don’t wanna talk about it?” Max asked. Sonny shook his head again. “Fair enough. Don’t worry, man, you’ll pick up English nice and quick,” Sonny smiled, nodded and continued to eat quietly.   
Not long after the puddings disappeared too and Professor McGonagall stood back in front of the plinth to address the now silent Hall.  
“For first-years or those who have forgotten, I am Professor McGonagall, your headmistress. Now we are all full to bursting it falls to me to give you all a few notices before we all go off to bed.  
First-years, please be aware that the Forbidden Forest is named so for a reason and as such you must only go in there with the permission of a member of staff.  
Our caretaker and assistant caretaker, Mr. Filch and Mr. Talbot, would like me to remind and point out to you that no magic is to be used in the corridors between classes and if you would please not use Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes products…” she paused to consult the parchment in front of her on the plinth “…at all, if at all possible.  
And finally, Quidditch trials will take place in the second week of term. Anyone who may be interested in played for their house team, contact Madam Hooch.” This was followed by excited whispers, April would have to get used to everyone around her loving Quidditch; it was always something to suppress when she was at home. “And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song,” McGonagall said, some of the staff members did not seem too happy about this last announcement.   
She flicked her wand, producing golden ribbon which flew high above their heads and twisted into words.  
“Choice any tune you like and let us begin.”  
The school sang:

 

'Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling,  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they’re bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we’ve forgot,  
Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot.’

Each student completed their rendition at different times depending on the tune they had picked but when the last voice died down everyone clapped with the same amount of verve.  
“Now to bed with you.”  
The Ravenclaw first-years were beckoned by a boy named Robert, he led them through the crowded Hall and out, up the Grand Staircase. April was so tired now that she forgot to try and catch a word with Crystal before she was led away; all she could think of was her new bedroom and the bed there. Lelahel strode besides her trying to remember the way to the Ravenclaw section of the castle. They walked up stairs and down corridors, through secret passage ways then up more stairs. They passed portraits that greeted them, but no one was particularly amazed by this, April only briefly wondered if they would learn how the portraits did this before almost falling asleep where she walked. She was vaguely aware of someone holding onto the crook of her arm, helping her move forward before everyone stopped in front of a door without a handle or keyhole, instead there was only a bronze eagle knocker.   
Robert knocked at the eagle which instantly came to life and opened its beak to speak.  
“For some I go fast, for others I’m slow. To most people, I’m an obsession, relying on me is a well practiced lesson,” it spoke.   
“Any guesses?” Robert asked the group.  
“Time,” Mary answered almost at once. The door swung open to reveal the Ravenclaw common room.   
It was high ceilinged, wide and circular. The domed ceiling was painted with stars, the carpet a midnight blue; the tall arched windows were hung with soft bronze and blue silks. There was matching furniture; tables, chairs and numerous bookcases around the airy room. A balcony was opposite them, underneath was another door, next to that, a life-size white marble statue of a beautiful yet intimidating witch. Rowena Ravenclaw.  
Robert led them to the door under the balcony and April wasn’t sure how put she ended up in another room where there were four beds imbedded in nooks in the walls, a small wardrobe on one side of each bed and a desk on the other made a distinct area for each student to call their own. Windows were inlaid in each of the nooks and heavy midnight blue curtains could be drawn over the nook to hide the beds completely. In the centre of the room was a small heater that glowed peacefully in the darkened room.   
April didn’t pay attention to who she was sharing her dormitory with but walked trance-like toward the bed on the right, furthest from the door and slumped on it. Lelahel muttered something about pyjamas; April barely remembered changing into them when she lay staring out of the window at the starry sky minutes later. She thought she saw a shooting star pass by but drifted quickly into sleep and forgot all about it when she awoke the next morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April & Lelahel have their first breakfast and first class at Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so so so so sorry for the delay. I had a block for like four months then only managed to write like a couple sentences every few weeks after that. I hope it’s okay. Also, I wrote the last bit while sleepy, hyper, excited and in serious need of a pee so there may be mistakes and it wasn’t proof-read. I appreciate if you notify me of any mistakes.

April awoke to the cold sensation of Lelahel’s wolf nose nudging against her cheek, she groaned and turned over.  
“Wake up, sleepy head,” he nudged her back with his head, pushing her into the wall.  
“Ow, get off,” she curled tight into a ball under her blankets.  
“First day of school.”  
“Huh?”she uncurled, opening her eyes. “Oh. Hogwarts!” she sat up instantly, pulling the curtains apart to see an empty dorm. ”Where is everyone?”  
“Down stairs. Eating.”  
“Eating?” at that precise moment her stomach made a protest at its lack of contents. April looked at it and grimaced. “Not a bad idea.”   
“What’s the etiquette?”  
“No idea.. can I go downstairs in my jammies? I can’t eat breakfast in my uniform,” she stared at her neat new Ravenclaw uniform lay across her chair; she secretly couldn’t wait to be in it. “I’ll get it dirty!”  
“We could check in the common room, ask someone.”  
“If there’s anyone there, that is.”  
“I’m gonna check,” Lelahel announced but he did not move, he instead cocked his head. “Actually, I’m gonna check the Hall itself.”  
“What?!” April said in disbelief.   
“We’re finally at Hogwarts! We don’t have to hide anymore.” With that he changed into a peregrine falcon and headed down into the common room with April running behind him. By the time she had reached the room her dæmon was nowhere to be seen. She swivelled around and saw that a few of the windows were open. She sighed heavily and sat on a chair waiting for him to come back.

 

Lelahel sped through the air as fast as he could, banking hard when he needed to turn simply for the rush. He dived and soared and looped and span; his sharp wings cutting through the air which fought back, the force only pushing him on faster. “Do you feel that rush?” he called out for April with a thrilled laugh but of course she was too far away to hear him. Still, he carried on passing window after window and tower after turret of the great school until he found himself outside the windows of the great hall. He perched on the window ledge and observed the attire of its occupants. “Jammies,” he stated and instantly headed back to his human.

 

April rested her elbows on her knees and put her head in her hands, covering her eyes. A sudden rush of dizziness rendered her unable to stand the light any longer. She heard footsteps coming from the dormitories but didn’t look up. She could feel her dæmon zooming through the air and she wasn’t sure she liked it at all. The unknown person sat in one of the chairs opposite April, she didn’t know exactly which one but she could tell they were close, close enough to see her.   
They were sat in silence for a minute or two; April started to think perhaps she’d imagined the footsteps. Someone would have asked her if something was wrong by now. But then the person spoke.  
“Are you alright?” the voice was male, older than she was; maybe in the last few years of education. She looked up slowly. He had auburn hair that he had seemed to try and tame but there was one rebellious curl hanging over his forehead. His eyes were a dazzling ice blue with a slither of yellowy green around the pupil and there was a playful smile across his face. Looking at his face she could see he certainly was in the higher years of the school, this was backed up by the prefect badge shining on his robe front. She nodded. “You look like you’re going to throw up,” he looked into her eyes and she averted hers to the ground.  
“Mhum,” was all she could manage. He laughed, which she did not appreciate. She looked up to scowl at him, his eyes were boring back into hers and she sought out his dæmon out of curiosity. She saw not one creature. “Where’s your dæmon?” he chuckled and looked behind him toward the dorms.  
“She likes to double check we have everything for the day ahead.” he motioned to his bag “She’ll be down soon,” he looked around evidently in search of her own dæmon. “And yours?” she smiled.  
“He’s flying. Checking if it’s the correct etiquette to go to the Great Hall in my jammies,” she looked toward the window. She didn’t feel sick now, he must’ve stopped flying but he was nowhere to be seen.  
“Ah,” he nodded. “Well, you can,” he smiled at her. She found herself smiling back.  
“Oh gosh!” she exclaimed as the rush of sickness came back and she put her head back into her hands.  
“Whoa,” he said as he came to sit next to her. “Keep your head down, eyes closed and breathe deeply. You’re not used to your dæmon flying fast are you?”  
“Uh-uh,” she sounded in answer.  
“You have to build up to it,” he sounded truly concerned. April was expecting a comforting arm around her, which did not come. She didn’t know if she was happy or disappointed about this. “Tell him to build up to it. I know it’s exciting with all this space and no Muggles around to worry about but… take it slow,” he got up and walked away, presumably to find his dæmon. Moments later Lelahel reappeared and the sickness subsided again. The two of them burst into speech rendering it impossible for the other to hear.   
“SHUSH!” they both said together and both stopped instantly. A beat and Lelahel spoke.  
“You can wear jammies,” he paused a moment then excitement burst from him “did you feel that rush? Wasn’t it amazing? That feeling of freedom. Oh my god, when can I do that again?”  
“Never,” April mumbled.  
“What?”  
“It made me feel awfully sick. Perhaps…” she tried to think of a delicate way to request him not flying the way he so wanted to. “Perhaps start flying slowly then build up speed as I get used to you moving fast when I’m stationary.”  
“Oh.. okay.” April could feel his disappointment but with a little patience he wouldn’t be slow for long. “What was it you were saying, anyway?” April considered this for a moment. She glanced at the dorm then back to her dæmon.   
“Nothing,” she smiled. “Let’s eat.”She stood a little shakily from her seat then headed down to the Great Hall.  
Along the way Lelahel said many times “just head down” more to reassure himself than April that they wouldn’t get lost. But they made it and there they found their housemates already half finished with their breakfasts.  
“Nice of you to join us,” Charlie smiled. His hair was ruffled like he hadn’t yet combed it. All of them were in pyjamas and dressing gowns. Sonny’s dæmon, a small deer, was stood stiff behind him; April was quite sure this little deer was male. April took a seat between him and Mary and took toast from the centre of the table. Max’s ferret dæmon was running in swift circles around Charlie’s blonde howler monkey dæmon but stopped after getting stern looks from the older student’s dæmons.   
“Does anyone know our timetable?” Mary inquired.  
“Nope,” Dylan shook his head.  
“You’ll get them shortly,” Kate answered her sister then returned to the conversation she seemed to be pretending to be having with Freddie and his blonde friend, Dean. Though April could see she was really focused on the words of her younger sister.  
And sure enough Professor Flitwick came around and handed all of the Ravenclaw students their timetables for the year. There was a mix of sighs of relief and groans up and down the table as the students examined their year of lessons.  
“Double potions!” Max exclaimed. “No fair, whenever I used them home kids potions sets I’ve been awful.”  
“It might be different for real,” Charlie comforted.  
“Doubt it.”  
“You need double potions for the practical lessons,” Mary interjected “Though why we need a double lesson on our first day, I’m not sure,” she pondered.  
“Charms, Transfiguration and double Potions,” Meela said from the end of the table. “Not too bad.” Nobody replied to her, it seemed they had all silently and mutually agreed that she was a bad egg and they wanted nothing to do with her. April felt intensely sorry for Meela, sometimes people just needed to be given a bit of time to adjust and settle in. April decided to try to subtly introduce her to the conversation.  
“I’m looking forward to potions, actually. It can’t be that much different from baking, can it? What are you all looking forward to today?” she looked toward Meela to invite her to answer. The table waited a beat for her reply but when none came Dylan, Charlie and Max all replied together.  
“Lunch,” there was laughter from the surrounding students at the joke when the post started to arrive.   
April raised her glance high as she searched for the family owl, a barn owl, Rhy. As she searched she came across a curious sight; there among the large and strong owls carrying packages and letters of all sorts of shapes and sizes was a tiny snitch of an owl, barely visible was it not for the rather large package it was somehow carrying with apparent ease. She didn’t let her eyes leave it for fear of losing it amid the other owls; she was curious who the owner of this tiny thing was. The owl fluttered past the Ravenclaw table and continued to the Hufflepuff table where it quickly lost altitude, plummeting into the outstretched hand of Isla who cried “Draco!” as she placed the small bird on the table and opened the package it had brought. Nathan, who was sat next to her, commented on the package that April could not see. Isla looked pleased and nodded at whatever was said.   
April decided to pry no longer and turned back to her seat, where in front of her was a letter and a very fluffy looking barn owl. “What have you been up to today then, Rhy?” she inquired stroking the owl’s head to try and make him less ruffled. He simply puffed up his feathers and walked slowly over to Freddy to deliver him a letter too. She watched the owl for a moment then looked to the letter.  
“D’you reckon it is?” Lelahel asked as a red squirrel perched on the table.   
“Not a clue,” she opened it and out fell a small granite tablet about the size of a playing card.  
“S’at?” Lelahel’s curiosity was peeking. He stuck his head into the envelope and came back dragging out a letter with his teeth. April took it from him and read aloud.

If you’re in Ravenclaw like the rest of the family it’s unlikely you’ll be seeing Crystal much this year. Don’t lose touch. This is a small blackboard you can use to talk to her, she has the other one. Just write on it and she’ll see your message, hers works in the same way. Good luck on your first day of school. Love Dad. 

“Look, there’s chalk in here,” Lelahel pointed out. April turned in her seat yet again and looked far to the Slytherin table. There she saw Crystal examining her own small blackboard and letter. She smiled to herself.   
“At least we’ll be able to talk somehow,” she said to her dæmon.  
“Mhum,” he was busy sniffing the chalk which only resulted in him sneezing. 

When they had all finished with breakfast they went back upstairs to wash and change into their uniform then those who had the same timetable as April went to find Charms class with Professor Flitwick.   
“It can’t be too far now,” Max said, exaggerating how tired he actually was by dragging his feet heavily as he walked. “He’s only little, you’d think Charms would be nearer.” Charlie laughed at this then put a supporting arm under Max to help him along. His hair was still ruffled like it had been at breakfast, perhaps that’s just how he styled it. “I’m getting too old for this,” Max tried not to laugh but when Charlie started neither of them could stop.  
“There!” Sonny called pointing to a classroom with a line of students outside it wearing black and yellow robes. “Huff. Puff.”  
“Hufflepuff,” Dylan smiled at him, clapping him on the back. “Guess we’re paired with them all year.”  
“No,” Mary stated. “My sister informed me we swap class mates with different classes.”  
“’Informed’ you, did she?”Meela mocked.  
“Yes,” Mary replied unaware she was being made fun of.  
“Lay off, Meela,” Dylan said trying to be calm.  
“Or what?”  
“For a Ravenclaw you’re not very intelligent, are you?” he squared up to her and the two classes did nothing but watch in shock.   
“I have more intelligence in me than you do in your little finger,” she scowled. Her wasp dæmon buzzed furiously on her shoulder while Alora hissed menacingly.   
“Stop it guys,” April butted in, Lelahel standing in front of Alora to block her. “It’s our first day of classes ever at Hogwarts. Enjoy it, yeah?” Dylan and Alora turned to join the rest of the class and just in time as Professor Flitwick came out a second later. Meela’s dæmon was still making a racket and Mary looked positively confused as they all entered the classroom.  
They were indeed paired with Hufflepuff first years for this class; Isla and Phoebe were among them.  
“Now, class, take your seats,” Flitwick called above the excitable students; it was there very first class, after all.  
April sat near the back of the class and was joined by Mary and Sonny either side of her. She noticed the only person willing to get close enough to Meela was Phoebe, perhaps she’d move later on once she’d realised what kind of person Meela was.  
“Now, student, I hope it’s no surprise that you will not be learning practical spells today,” Flitwick informed the class, to which there was negative mutters and moans. “In fact, depending on your progress, it may be a month or two before I allow you to cast your very first spells. Until that point it will be safety and theory of wand movements and incantations and other such similar things. I will also teach you briefly about the three Unforgivable Curses,” there was a ripple of shivers through the room as those aware of the curses couldn’t contain their fear of them. “In the simple belief that if you are educated in the matter, your lack of ignorance will cease your curiosity to pursue them further. And before you write angry letters to your parents,” Flitwick responded to the increasingly worried murmurs “that particular education will be purely theory and will be only to give you brief understanding of the history and impact those spells have on us all,” this didn’t seem to quell the nervous classroom but the charms professor had had four years of teaching this new curriculum to the students of Hogwarts and despite his initial dubiousness, was now comfortable with it.  
“But let us not dwell on the future. It is now that we will concern ourselves with and now I will be talking to you about your wands,” Flitwick began teaching them about “how the wand chooses the wizard” and went briefly through what each core and wood meant, getting them to jot down the details of their own wands and learn it for homework.   
Through the lesson the students sat and listened and barely spoke among themselves. About halfway through Phoebe asked if she could move seats, stating she couldn’t see that close to the board. She left Meela alone at the front and took a seat next to a small Hufflepuff girl named Sora.   
The lesson ended and the class was pleased with its new knowledge and they didn’t even mind the homework.  
“That was really interesting,” Lelahel tweeted as a European Robin on April’s shoulder.  
“Mhum,” she replied still trying to remember every little thing she had just learned as they walked to their next class, transfiguration.   
“You forget 90% of what you’ve learned after a month,” Lelahel informed her. This rather brought April’s enthusiasm down and so she dawdled behind the class and observed the dynamics created so for, rather than waste time remembering.  
It seemed Dylan, Charlie and Max had already made a strong bond and they were trying to take Sonny under their wing, where as Sonny was trying to stick nearer to Mary and April. Meela had so far made no bonds but many of the students shot her worried looks. Isla and her rabbit formed dæmon kept themselves to themselves and the rest of the Hufflepuffs seemed to be giving all they had into getting to know everyone they met.  
Unfortunately on the way to their next class, as well as having to find the classroom they also had to contend with their first encounter with the infamous school poltergeist.   
The group of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were almost on the right track when Peeves came, cackling, through the wall on their right.  
“Firsties!” he cried with malicious delight, circling their heads. “The ickle biddy firsties, lost on their way,” he zoomed back through the wall, the class hadn’t walked much further on due to their confusion when he reappeared, holding water balloons.   
A few of the group cried out in shocked anticipation of what would soon unfold.  
“NO!” Meela shrieked, dropping her school bag to the floor. Even Peeves stopped his aiming to stare at her with a distasteful look. His distaste quickly morphed into malevolence and his aim changed moments after for her shiny sheet of black hair. She looked like she would soon start bawling but her pure disbelief was preventing her to do so. Peeves’ arm slowly pulled back as he sharpened his aim, taking his time. Meela’s face was contorted into undeniable terror.   
“Wait!” Mary shouted just as Peeves let go of the balloon, releasing the umbrella she had just dug out of her bag and shielding herself and Meela in one swift movement.   
“Ruined my fun, red-head, did!” he moaned and dropped all of his remaining balloons on the floor beneath him before floating off down the hall singing a song about mould.   
“Are you okay?” Mary mothered a furious faced Meela.   
“I didn’t need your help!” she scowled.  
“I-I’m sorry. I just..” she looked to the floor, her umbrella falling to her side, lost for words. Meela stalked off down the hall while the rest of the class stared after her open mouthed.   
Mary’s dæmon pointedly turned his back on Meela and tried muttering encouraging words to Mary but she remained wounded still.   
“Hey, c’mon,” April crooned, lightly taking her umbrella from her and folding it away “let’s get to class, yeah?” Mary looked up slowly after Meela and frowned. “We’ll sit together, away from her,” the rest of the class slowly turned away, giving Mary room to get her thoughts together as they walked off down the hall at a slower than average pace, collectively trying not to rush her.  
“Yes. I err. Yes, ” her dæmon fluttered as a cockatiel to her shoulder then, Red Panda shaped, wrapped himself around her neck. She walked with her head pointed to the ground, feet shuffling.  
The rest of the class were happy in the knowledge April had dealt with it well and were chatting amongst themselves. April was too concerned with Mary to pay attention but Lelahel heard a few whispers of “such a baby” and “tantrum” among other negative things about the quick tempered girl.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and her classmates have their first day of lessons at Hogwarts.

Walking into their first Transfiguration class April guided Mary to the back, seeing Meela had again chosen to sit at the front. Sonny sat next to Mary and said nothing.

April propped the umbrella she was still holding against the chair in front for it to dry, which fell over shortly after when Isla moved her seat a little to get more comfortable, and looked toward the front of the sun-lit classroom.

At the front of the class was a very young looking witch sat at the desk, on top of which her swan dæmon perched with its head under its wing. The witch looked around the room and smiled shyly at the students as they took their places.

When everyone was seated she stood from the desk and walked to the blackboard to her left, her light brown ponytail swinging as she went.

“Hello, class,” she spoke quietly, all the light muttering disappeared so as to hear her better “My name is Professor Vertum,” she paused to write her name at the top of the board in a rather messy hand “and I’m your Transfiguration teacher.” Some whispers were spawned by this, whispers of doubts of her credibility.

Mary’s hand shot up beside April, Professor Vertum faced her for a moment and blinked a few times.

“Yes, Miss..?”

“Malone, Mary”

“Miss Malone, what is it you’d like to ask?” the class in front of Mary turned slightly in their seats, all except Meela.

“Are you not a bit too young to be a professor, Professor?” Vertum sighed but kept composure “I don’t mean to be judgemental but isn’t it best to have experience when teaching others?”

“Yes it is, Miss Malone, I agree. I assure you, I have experience enough that Professor McGonagall offered me this position after the Second Wizarding War ended and have been sufficient a professor to keep the role for these past five years.” A few murmurs from those students not bought up in the wizarding community started asking others around them about the war, but they were quickly stopped. “I’ll please ask you not to discuss the war within my earshot. Please inform those fortunate enough to be ignorant of it when you have left this classroom.” A little confused, the students stopped their queries and the lesson started.

Throughout the course of the lesson the students were offered to ask any transfiguration question that may grace their mind, when Charlie asked to see something transformed, Professor Vertum transfigured his desk into a pig and changed it back again instantly. They were asked to write down many complicated notes and learn and practice the theory of turning a matchstick into a needle, the practical spell being given as homework. The class passed quickly and in good spirits about what they would learn from this teacher.

As soon as the class left the presence of Professor Vertum the students burst into discussion of the Battle of Hogwarts and the war itself. The muggle borns listened with mixed horror and awe as they made their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

“He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?” Max smirked “Sounds pretty lame to me,” he grabbed another cheese sandwich and inhaled it like he had the last four, much to the displeasure of those close by.

“Actually,” April waved her spoon knowingly as she swallowed another mouthful of leek and potato soup “it was pretty wise for them not to use his name and to be in good practice with it. In the last years of the war, it was actually cursed-”

“- what, you turned into a toad?” April scowled at Max and continued.

“The Death Eaters figured if you were brave enough to say it, you were a part of the rebellion so if you did say it, it would – well I dunno how it worked exactly – but they would know where it was said and apparate there so they could squash the resistance, I guess,” she dipped a slice of bread in the creamy soup and ate it.

“Apparate?”

“It’s like… you spin fast and disappear then you appear somewhere else that you wanted to appear,” Charlie smiled.

“Ermm..” Max frowned.

“Teleportation,” April clarified.

“Oh! Like Star Trek,” he giggled “’beam me up, Scotty’ kind of thing?”

“Not exactly, no. But you think of it like that if it helps,” she stuck her tongue out at him as most everyone else who was in the conversation looked confused.

Max seemed satisfied for now and any other Muggle borns at this end of the Ravenclaw table were not speaking up so the subject died away and grew into Quidditch and then to their next subject of Potions.

“So, who’s our teacher?” Dylan inquired at large, squinting at the teacher’s table.

“What subject, squirt?” his older sister had just walked behind him on her way out of the hall. He sighed then presented his timetable which she examined. She knelt next to Dylan and pointed. “Him. Slughorn.”

“The bald guy?”

“Yup,” she stood “He’s an alright teacher. Thinks he’s cool so let’s you get away with stuff sometimes. Not as strict as the last guy, I hear, but also has down sides.”

“Down sides?” Mary asked.

“Mhum. He refused for ages to give The Boy Who Lived vital information on winning the war. He is also really bad on favourites. If you show promise to be famous in something one day or have famous relatives he’ll treat you extra special. It’s a pain,” she sighed “Anyway, gots to go. Have fun with potions. Don’t burn off your eyebrows or anything,” she walked off with her friends giggling.

Dylan ran his fingers over his eyebrows as he stared at Slughorn.

“The Boy Who Lived?!” Max cackled “You guys have a real flare for names, you know that”

“Us guys?” Meela interjected before laughter could break out. “I think you’ll find you are one of ‘us guys’ whether you like it or not. The Boy Who Lived saved us all from a world of perpetual darkness. You have no idea how lucky you are not to know that. Show some respect.” Silence met this. April wasn’t sure what everyone else was thinking but she met Lelahel’s eyes with a wonder that Meela did, in fact, care about something.

Meela sauntered off as quickly as she had appeared. 

“It’s like she exists to contradict” Charlie stared after her.

“She’s right, though” Mary’s sister joined in. “We owe Harry Potter everything. Anyway, it’s time to head to classes. You all have potions? It’s in the dungeons,” and she, too, left. The first year Ravenclaw’s all headed to class together now, and it seemed this time they were paired with Slytherin.

April ran toward Crystal, forgetting everyone else. “Do you have potions too?!” she almost shouted.

“Whu-” Crystal turned with shock then happiness spread over her face. “April! Yes, why?”

“We do too!” they squealed happily all the way to the dungeons.

They joined the queue where they were told to shush by several of their class mates so resorted to silent giggling instead.

To April’s right a shiny orb appeared from the classroom.

“Welcome, first years,” it spoke.

“That’s Slughorn,” Lelahel whispered to Lyka.

“Please, come in. Take a seat wherever you want. Get out your textbooks and we’ll begin.”

April and Crystal took seats at the back of the class and waited for further instructions.

Slughorn asked them to get into pairs and upon the blackboard at the front of the class he made a recipe for a potion that would cure boils appear.

“It’s fairly simple and just a bit of fun,” he informed them “None of you will be experts on your first day, take your time, discuss the techniques with your pair and just try your hardest,” he smiled weakly at the class then took a seat at the front, observing his new students.

Crystal and April set about giving each other tasks each, to do the task quicker so they had more time to chat. One would weigh an ingredient while the other crushed or cut another. April glanced across the room to see the progress of the others. Mary was quietly reassuring Sonny on what it said on the board and explaining it to him as easily as she could. Max and Charlie were wiping horned slug slime on each other and laughing loudly. Meela, who was on the table next to them, scowled while her partner, a Slytherin with tousled auburn hair, spoke sweetly to them. 

“Could you please stop doing that, lads? It’s distracting and I’m quite sure everyone else here would rather concentrate on their own work than yours.” He stopped speaking and Max and Charlie stopped moving. Their ferret and howler monkey dæmons, usually uncontrollable and fidgety, sat still. Before she had chance to contemplate the mystery, Crystal called her back to potion making.

Not one pair made a poor potion. Slughorn complimented the Slytherins for doing him and their house proud and the Ravenclaws for their unwavering curiosity. Each house received 20 points each and everyone left the dungeon, after having been down there for two hours, with more of a skip in their steps than they thought they would.

“Now what?” Dylan asked, as the class gathered in the Entrance Hall. “We have no more lessons and dinner isn’t until five.”

“I think I’ll go to the Library. We had Charms and Transfiguration homework. The sooner I start it, the soon it’ll be finished,” Mary replied. There was a murmur of agreement as almost every Ravenclaw and a few Slytherins decided to join her.

Trudging their way to the third floor, they encountered a moving staircase.

“Don’t worry,” called the Ravenclaw prefect, Robert Hillard, from the floor above. “It’ll move back in a moment. It just needed a stretch,” he waved and wondered off down a corridor out of sight.

“Who was he?” Crystal enquired.

“Prefect,” Dylan smiled.

Finally in the library the group found a large round table for them all to study together on. Only one seat was not taken at the twelve chair table, the seat next to Meela. Ava sat inbetween the empty chair and Max, whose hands – which were fidgeting on the table - she stared at dreamily. 

“Okay,” Mary began “I’m going to do Transfiguration first. A practical spell needs concentration. The longer we do this, the worse we will get at it” there was a wave of nods as the Ravenclaws took out their wands, notes and matchsticks. The Slytherins did the same.

“We must have had the same classes this morning but at opposite times,” a Slytherin girl, who was sat next to Crystal, named Riley concluded.

They all took a short time going over their notes and practicing the wand movement and incantation before actually attempting the spell. But when they did, not much happened at first.

“Are you sure this is a real spell?” Charlie complained hitting a matchstick with his wand with so much force it snapped and burst into flames.

“At least you got its use right, cos,” Dylan jibed.

“Cos…?” Sonny finally spoke in confusion.

“It’s short for cousin,” Dylan smiled “sometimes it’s used for someone who you’re close to but in this case we are actual cousins.”

“Cousin,” Sonny repeated in a daze.

“A cousin is the child of an aunt or uncle. An aunt or uncle is the sibling of one of your parents,” Mary stated softly. Sonny looked satisfied and lightly jabbed his matchstick while saying the incantation. It momentarily became pointier. He smiled widely for the first time.

“Well done!” Mary instantly cheered and his smile widened.

“Biǎomèi,” he whispered to himself still smiling. 

“It must be difficult to come to a new country, trying to learn magic as well as a new language,” Lelahel sighed. “We should help him out more like Mary does,” April nodded then also attempted the spell again. The red lump at the end of her matchstick disappeared so she was left with only a small piece of wood.

“Ooooo it changed,” she cooed. This sudden burst of development spurred the others on to do better. Though nobody managed the full transformation, they all changed their matchstick in some way or other eventually. All except that persuasive Slytherin she had seen in potions. He was sat between Riley and Meela and he hadn’t even managed to set his match on fire.

“Maybe he’s a squib,” she heard Charlie whisper to Dylan seriously.

“It’s his first day of school, not everyone is gonna grasp it so fast” he replied.

“I’m getting tired of this,” Max complained “Can’t we do the Charms stuff now? We can always practice more later,” there was a sigh of relief as they all gathered their matchsticks and swapped the Transfiguration notes for Charms ones.

They had to learn what kind of wand they had and what its specific properties meant.

“10 ¾’’, Pear, Phoenix Feather,” April muttered as she read off her notes attempting to memorise at least the core and wood of it. All the other students were doing the same or similar, a few were muttering to themselves and their dæmons, others wrote as their dæmons dictated the notes and some sat in silence, heads bowed concentrating. This half of the homework wasn’t as fun as the last, to be sure. Though, April found it very interesting.

“Pear. Best in the hands of the warm-hearted, the generous and the wise. Possessors often popular and well-respected. Never been found in the hands of a dark witch or wizard. Resilient, often look brand new after many years of use,” April smiled at Lelahel and stared at her wand with admiration. She felt a warm glow inside her, a sort of pride she hadn’t felt before. ‘I’m going to live up to this wand’ she thought.

“Phoenix,” Lelahel stated.

“Yes,” she looked once more to her notes, this time to the ones on wand cores.

“The rarest core type. Ooh that’s cool. Capable of the greatest range of magic, though take longer to reveal this. Show their own initiative which is disliked by many owners. The pickiest when it comes to potential owners because a phoenix is the most independent and detached creature in the world. The hardest to tame and personalise, their allegiance is usually hard won. Oh my,” she paused. “I’m sure we’ll get there, eh?” Lelahel nodded encouragingly.

She read and reread the notes. Rewriting them a few times to make sure she really did remember what the qualities of her wand were.

By the time everyone had finished it was dinner. They set off down the stairs and into the Great Hall where three of them parted for the table the opposite side of the room as everyone else took their seats. They ate in almost silence, even Max and Charlie, for they were exhausted from their first full day at Hogwarts.

When they were finished all except Ava joined the climb of the many stairs to Ravenclaw Tower, she instead went to talk with her siblings. They sighed at the thought of having to solve a riddle to enter but luckily about 20 other students wished to enter so it was solved quickly.

Meela left for the dorms and the remaining six of the original 11 person study group slumped at the tables in the common room.

They were silent for a moment.

“What do you guys do for fun around here?” Max asked, “where’s the TVs?”

“No TVs,” April replied. He gasped. “Electricity doesn’t work here.”

“So.. no music, television, internet, video games!?” he looked terrified at the thought.

“Give us a break,” Charlie piped up, “we have radios! We listen to music. But those other things you said are made up,” he joked.

“How radios if no electricity?” he seemed to be struggling to come to terms with it.

“Magic,” everyone else at the table but Sonny chorused.

“Oh!” April exclaimed suddenly. “I just remembered. I’ll be right back.” She ran off to her dorm and rummaged around in her trunk until she pulled out a small plain white box and ran straight back down again.

“Whatchu got there?” Dylan inquired. She tipped the box upside down and its content spilled onto the table.

“Is that…?” Max said open mouthed, “Is it an MP3?”

“Yup,” she smiled in reply. “Friend of my dad’s is trying to convert muggle tech into magic tech, guess you could say. Like how radios work here because they aren’t made the way muggle ones are. So he asked me to test it out in the most magically secure place in the country, maybe the world.”

“Coool, can I see?” April passed it to Max and he examined it. “It looks just like one you can get in Argos. Does it work? What music do you have?”

“Erm, I don’t know the answer to either. We’ll find out now,” she took it back off him and switched it on.

The small screen read ‘Welcome’ then it told her what song she would hear if she pressed play.

“What’s an MP3?” Dylan inquired.

“It’s a small device that plays music. How many songs can be stored depends on the amount of memory it has.”

“Memory? Electricity can remember things for muggles?”

“Nooo, no it’s more like.. I can’t explain,” April struggled. Neither could Max so she just hit play and let the music stretch across the table for them all to hear.

“I’ve never heard this song before,” Charlie enthused.

“It’s a muggle band. My favourite band!”

“It’s really good!” Dylan smiled.

On a table not too far away an older student, maybe in 5th year, started singing along, and then a few others did. When the song finished April pressed pause, nervous for any more attention from the music but she was out of luck. A small group of different aged muggle borns and a few others who had access to muggle tech at home bombarded her with questions about this magic powered MP3. Most of which she couldn’t answer.

“Stop!” she cried and silence fell, “I’ve been asked to give feedback to the creator of this so if you want, write down your questions on a piece of parchment and I’ll send it to him,” a sudden scrabble for a large piece of parchment and a quill and there was a queue to the table to add their own questions which would be sent to Sam later.

Dylan took the list after everyone else was done with it and read the questions.

“Do you mind if I add a question?” he asked. April shook her head and saw him write ‘how could I add my own band’s music into its memory’ she couldn’t help but give a smile.

“You have a band?” she questioned. He laughed.

“Not yet! But hopefully I’ll get to start one here.” The conversation remained on that of music. About different muggle bands or genres and magic ones too.

Mary left the conversation for bed an hour or so later, followed shortly by Sonny. At almost 10 o’clock the conversation had met many subjects but was now lagging as they grew even more tired.

“Time for bed, I think,” April yawned, stretching out her arms above her head, and her legs under the table. “I’ll finish this letter for Sam then sleep,” she said half to herself and Lelahel, and half to whoever was listening and left for her own dorm.

She sat at the small table by her bed and folded the question list in half, wrote a quick explanation on top of it and stuffed it in an envelope. She made a mental note to go to the Owlery tomorrow to send it off, checked on Stanley in his cage then crawled into bed.


End file.
